Teknisk Wereld v4
by Celtic Guardian 7
Summary: Two god cards have been found now only one is left. Their foes are just as deadly as before though. They know who their main enemy is, but whose side is Sarius on? COMPLETE
1. Limiters

**Prologue**

In the year 2100, technology had become much more advanced. Now people are spending much of their free hours going to a virtual world known as Teknisk Wereld (translates to Technical World in English). This place is only able to be accessed when turning thirteen. Why? It's a dangerous area-while safeguards usually prevent deaths, serious injuries are still possible.

Anyway, when turning thirteen, you are given three things: an Envoyant Machine, a Duel Disk, and a Soul Card. The Envoyant Machine is basically a helmet-like device that "transports" your mind to Teknisk Wereld. The Duel Disk generates holograms of the cards that are used in the real world and Teknisk Wereld. Oh, forgot to mention that, didn't I? People carry around decks in both worlds. They are from a game called Duel Monsters. Played for fun and for serious reasons, hardly anyone lacks a deck these days.

Then you have the Soul Card. From this card comes your Soul Monster. This monster, based off one in the Duel Monsters game, is to remain bonded with you for life. Also, this monster is to be your Deck Master in duels. Deck Masters give the game a unique twist; each one comes with a special ability that can turn the duel to your favor.

In Teknisk Wereld v.1, Hope Gales was finally able to go to Teknisk Wereld. There she met some of her best friends; Rue, Max, Will, Claire, and Brandi. She also met their Soul Monsters; Ruecian, Olympion, Neo, Perseus, Mana, and her own, Gaston. When the Generals of Hell began to kill innocents to fulfill the conditions of the Ritual of 1000 Souls, the six teens went out to stop them. Through many sacrifices, Hope was finally able to confront the one they revived; Satan himself. How she managed to survive is still unknown, but apparently there is more to her than meets the eye…

In Teknisk Wereld v.2, they were up against a new group: the Commanders of Heaven. But instead of wanting to revive God, they wanted to overthrow him. Although the Commanders were much cleverer than the Generals, the group had new friends as well. Miles, a thief and Commander, turned traitor and joined Hope and her companions. Draken, a former General, was brought back to life and wanted to help those that helped him see the truth. Fell and Larka, brother and sister, were helped out by Hope when escaping a laboratory where they had been specimen, and they remained with the group. Zack, a cyborg hired by the Commanders to kill the group, joined as well after Hope managed to convince him to switch sides. Matt, a companion of Max and Brandi, and Amy, Hope's half-sister, also assisted at various points.

After many duels, they finally managed to reach the lead Commander, Kouten. But before they could face him, they had to go through an ordeal that involved each of them seeing a vision, all important in their own way. They also got a few words of advice from God's messenger, Gabriel.

Kouten actually had one of the three god cards, Immense Divine Soldier of Obelisk. Max managed to defeat Kouten though, even though he had Obelisk. Max volunteered to hang on to Obelisk for the time being, being a guardian of sorts to it, which took care of one god card.

In Teknisk Wereld v.3, the group's new foe was a being known as Thanatos. Although it is not sure who he was or how he emerged, he appeared to them in the form of Max. When Ender tore Olympion's Soul Card, Thanatos took over Max's body shortly afterwards. Through much pain, both physically and mentally, from losses of duels that Thanatos used to toy with the group, Brandi finally got a chance to take down Thanatos. However, he managed to just barely stay alive. It was only when Hope confessed that she loved Max that Thanatos was finally destroyed.

But it turned out that Thanatos was working with another villain. Vlademir, the leader of Macina Corp, was actually trying to take over the world. With two of the group's old foes, Malady and Viken, it surely looked like his plan would succeed. However, the companions were able to confront the trio. Hope killed Malady, Viken was slain by Larka, and Zack defeated Vlademir. It was a close match, since Vlademir managed to summon Saint Dragon-God of Osiris. Zack was able to win though, ending the plot. However, to save Will from the virus Vlademir had been behind spreading, Vlademir's life was spared. On the plus side, they were able to claim Osiris. Rue was the only one able to handle the god card, so he became its guardian.

But there is still one more god card that must be found. For if all three god cards are played in duels, unsealing them, Satan will awaken…

**Chapter 1: Limiters**

Sarius was bored. He had been waiting in the church for some time, even though he had known his comrades would not have arrived yet. He had had nothing better to do, so he had decided to come early.

Even though it was dull, the church was still a peaceful location. The light energy was calming, if not a bit overwhelming for him. Raid did not seem pleased by it; the Dark Main-Type monster could not stand all of the light in it. Cyrus seemed to like the area quite a bit though, which was understandable-after all, he was a Light Main-Type. The Child also seemed to like the area. He was sitting on one of the pews in the front row, and as he almost always did, he was tossing the golden ball he carried into the air and then catching it.

Not content to just sit there, Sarius got up and went to the front of the church, looking at the three pictures on the wall. Suddenly, he focused on the picture in the center.

"How strange," he murmured. "I didn't notice this the last time I was here…"

"Tirran-sama?"

"Come and look at this," Sarius requested.

The Child came over to the picture, gazing at it.

"Do you see how Obelisk and Osiris look? Their eyes… they seem almost alive. But Ra looks as though it is sleeping. I wonder what this means?"

The Child did not have an answer to this.

"Hm… well, we'll see soon enough, I suppose," Sarius sighed.

His thoughts on the matter were put to a halt when Raid suddenly hissed. He looked over to the doors to see four people enter. They glanced around the church with interest, but came to the front pews, sitting down. The Child joined them, leaving Sarius at the front.

"Thank you for coming," Sarius said as a greeting. "I am assuming you know why I summoned you here?"

"You found the Limiters?" one of them, a male who looked to be in his teens, inferred.

"Yes and no. I have found one of them… but not the other. However, we can't afford to wait for that. Juno has finally decided to start getting serious."

"So we just kick his ass again. What's the big problem?" another, this time a woman, asked.

"I think Juno has a lead on who the Limiter is. That means he has full rights to go after her. He'll have help too. So that leaves us only one choice. We have to defeat the Limiter before he can reach her."

"Or we can hope that this Limiter will actually be able to put up a fight," a man said sarcastically.

"She's stronger than some, weaker than others. It could be worse," Sarius replied.

"Does Juno know about the second Limiter?" the last man, who had not spoken until now, inquired.

"I doubt it. Remember, we're usually ahead of him. If I don't even have a clue on who it is, how would he know?"

"There's always the off chance that he might get lucky," the second man to have spoken muttered.

"But that isn't very likely. As we all know, Juno's luck tends to be rather bad," Sarius smirked. "Still, you are right to be cautious about it. That is why I have asked for your help. The sooner we can defeat the Limiter, the better. We can worry about searching for the second one later."

"So what are our orders?" the last man asked.

"Get used to Teknisk Wereld," Sarius said. "I have something to check on. Once I have, I'll tell you what our plans will be."

"You had better not waste any time," the woman told him.

"You know I won't," Sarius grinned. "I'll contact you soon."

Sarius turned to the painting again, a clear sign to the others that the meeting was over. The four rose and left the church, while The Child remained where he was.

Sarius continued to gaze at the picture as he sorted his thoughts. He knew what he had to do. The end result… that he could only guess.

Then Raid growled again as he heard the door open. But he did not bother to turn; he already knew who it was.

"So you came as well," Sarius said.

The man he had spoken to stepped up to where he was, looking over at the picture. "You didn't think I would?"

"Of course I thought you would. It's why I'm not surprised."

The man examined the portraits. "Satan? And I suppose that is Jesus, and that God," he concluded.

"Yes. I find it very intriguing; I'm sure you do as well?"

"You could say that."

Sarius finally turned to the man. "So, you will be searching for the Limiters as well?"

The man looked into Sarius' eyes. "Yes. But remember this, Tirran. I am with you when it comes to stopping Juno. But if I reach the Limiters first, then they are mine. So we are rivals, even if we have a common enemy."

"I am well aware of that," Sarius replied calmly.

"Then I advise you act swiftly. Juno will not wait, and neither will I," the man stated.

"Again, I know this."

The man stepped off the platform they were on. "I have said what I came to say. Now, if you will excuse me, I must begin searching."

"Go right ahead. I'm sure we will meet each other again, soon enough."

"Indeed," the man agreed before leaving.

Sarius waited for a few minutes before going towards the door as well. "So it's about to begin. This should be quite interesting, shouldn't it?"

The Child gave a small smile in response before they stepped through the door.

-----

Juno was impatient as well, but he kept his feelings hidden as he waited. At least the atmosphere of this dark area was a pleasant one for him. The Generals of Hell may have been idiots, but they knew of some good locations to stay at, Juno concluded.

Zork was nearby, waiting as well. Even when Juno heard several people approaching, Zork did not respond. Juno knew who they were instantly.

"He could have at least picked an easier location! This place took forever to get to! Walking here took long enough, but trying to find out how to enter that portal was way too time consuming! That Juno just has to pick the most complicated areas to meet up in! I've just about had it with that…"

"Give it a rest already, you crabby old maid," a man yawned. "We made it in the end, didn't we?"

"Crabby old maid?! I swear, if you call me that one more time Bolt…"

"He's right; do us a favor and shut up Tundra," another one said. "We're not in the mood to listen to your rambling."

Another man looked over at the one who had just spoken. "You are just as much of a loud mouth as she is, if not more so."

"Hey!" the other one protested. "At least I'm not complaining at the moment, unlike her!"

"I'd be careful with what you say around Gale," the one called Bolt commented. "Your past injuries from him should have given you some common sense on the matter, eh Wave?"

"I'm not nearly as bad as she is though!" Wave protested.

Gale glared at Wave, and he finally fell silent at the look in his eyes.

"But where is Juno?" the other female of the group asked. "He should be around here somewhere…"

"Knowing him, he'll be at the other side of this place," Tundra grumbled. "And in such an area too! He just had to choose a dark location like this one, didn't he?"

"I don't like it at all," Wave commented. "It's way too creepy for my tastes."

"I must say that I enjoy it, though," another one commented.

"Of course you would, Dark," Trident sighed. "What element are you again? Oh yeah-just as your name suggests, dark! Gee, I wonder why this would be a good spot for you?"

"If you want to keep your head attached to your body, I advise you shut up now," the other woman told him.

Wave usually didn't fall silent just because someone asked him to, but he saw the wisdom of the suggestion and followed her recommendation.

"Always being the cute older sister, aren't you Light?" Bolt smirked.

"Usually I don't agree with Tundra, but in this case I will. If you call me that one more time…"

"Then what will you do? Try to smite me with your amazing feminine powers?" Bolt said sarcastically.

Tundra bristled at this comment. "I'll have you know that us females are much better than any of you males will ever be!"

"I never said one was better than the other; it can go both ways," Bolt shrugged. "You're worse than most males I've met, but even you are smarter than Gaia."

Gaia did not even seem to notice that he was being insulted, instead watching the argument without comment.

"Of course I am; Gaia is dumber than a rock! He can't even tell when you're making fun of him!"

"You made fun of me?" Gaia growled, glaring at Bolt.

"You just had to tell him, didn't you?" Bolt rolled his eyes. "At least Flame has the sense to keep out of this pointless conversation."

Flame was at the edge of the group, his face expressionless.

"This is going nowhere!" Tundra snarled. "If Juno had just told us where to meet him in this place…"

"I'll tell you now then," Juno smirked, stepping out of the darkness where he had been hiding. Zork followed him. "This is our meeting location."

Tundra leapt back in alarm. "When did you get here?!"

"I've been listening in on you ever since you started complaining about how long it took you to get here," Juno stated. "You know, if you want to complain about my choice of meeting places, you should say it to my face instead of behind my back."

"Sucks to be you," Bolt snickered.

"Be quiet!" Tundra snapped.

"Enough of this nonsense," Juno said. "I have called the eight of you here for a specific reason; I did not want senseless bickering."

"Wherever we go, arguing follows," Light sighed.

"Unfortunately," was Juno's dry response. "But listen up. Bolt Katana, Flame Buster, Wave Trident, Gale Katar, Gaia Axe, Light Cross, Dark Scythe, and Tundra Flail; you are all here, I take it."

"Yeah, we all made it after much searching," Wave replied.

"Enough on that. Here is why I have called for you; I have not found the Limiters for this world yet. Tirran probably has some idea of where they are already. But I am tired of wasting time when I have had no luck. I need to find them, and quickly. So I want all of you to search for them. You know how this works; we've done it before. But this time, I want no failures. I am sick of Tirran always winning. He is not invincible; one day, he will fall. If we can find the Limiters here first, then maybe that day will be nearby."

"So what are we supposed to do first?" Gale inquired.

"Start searching for the Limiters. Try not to stick out; the people of this world are suspicious of anything, because of past events. When a Limiter is found, contact everyone else and we will all meet here. Do you all understand?"

"I think everyone but Gaia does," Bolt stated.

Again, the man did not notice he was being insulted. But he replied nevertheless. "I get what he means…"

"I'm sure," Bolt said shortly. "Well, if we're not supposed to arouse suspicions, I guess you're saying we should split up? Fine by me, although Gaia might screw us up." Then he walked back in the direction of the exit. The others shortly followed. Soon, only Juno and Zork were left.

"We'll see how it plays out this time, Tirran," Juno smirked. "Your luck will not last you forever…"

----

_She was in front of the painting once more, staring into Obelisk's red eyes and Osiris's yellow eyes. They looked as though they were at long last awake. Ra still seemed asleep though. _

_Satan still seemed asleep. The figure to the right was still in the shadows. The one to the left still seemed to be about to emerge though… something produced from the figure's head, and from its back… and the dark blue jewel on its forehead gleamed…_

_Then, she heard Satan._

_"Come back to me, my loyal servants. Join me once more…"_

_Hope could not resist. There was something he wanted, something he needed, and she had to get it for him…_

"Hope!"

Her eyes flew open at the sound of her name. She found herself standing at the door to her room, hand on the doorknob.

"Gaston? Did I sleepwalk again?" she asked wearily, looking over at her companion who stood by her.

"Yeah…" His eyes betrayed his worry about the situation.

"Dang it. I'm sorry… if I keep doing this, you'll never get any sleep," Hope said softly, glancing at the bottom bunk of her bed, where Larka was still asleep, with Malon curled next to her.

"Never mind that. I'm more concerned about you."

"I'm fine… just tired." She got back into her bed.

"Did you have any dreams?" he inquired.

"None," she replied uneasily. She did not like having to lie to her friend, but she didn't want him to be any more concerned than he already was.

"Alright then… try to get some more rest," he told her before sitting down again.

"Sure. Good night." She was asleep almost as soon as she lay down.

Gaston wished he could do the same, but wasn't about to; he was too anxious about Hope. She did not sleepwalk every night, but it was happening too frequently for his comfort. It was impossible to tell if she was still trying to get to Osiris, but Gaston would not have doubted it.

Although he thought on the situation now, he reached the same conclusion he always had; there was nothing he could do.

-----

Malon was the usual alarm clock that woke up Hope, Larka, and Gaston. His barking caused them to wake up instantly.

"Dang it Malon! Do you have to always do that?" Larka complained as she sat up.

The puppy that was at the end of her bed just panted happily as he watched her.

"There's no need to get mad at him," Hope said, looking at her clock. "It's eight. We promised we'd be in Teknisk Wereld by nine."

"You're right," Larka agreed, picking up Malon. "Still, I wish he didn't have to deafen me."

They went downstairs, and saw Fell and Daine waiting for them.

"Good morning!" Larka called to them.

"Likewise," Daine replied. Fell gave a brief nod before going into the kitchen.

"He's not really a morning person," Hope noted as they followed.

"He's not an afternoon or night person either," Gaston pointed out.

"True…" Hope admitted.

After eating, they went to Hope's room and activated their Envoyant Machines. They instantly fell unconscious.

-----

Zack was awake instantly when he heard a loud explosion. With a sigh, he got up.

"Three guesses at what that was," he muttered as he stopped at the top of the stairs to listen to the ensuing argument.

"I HAVE JUST ABOUT HAD IT WITH YOU! YOU HAVE DESTROYED EVERY SINGLE TYPE OF COOKING DEVICE I HAVE EVER GOTTEN AT LEAST THREE TIMES EACH! I AM SICK OF HAVING TO BUY REPLACEMENTS EVERY TIME!"

"But Will…"

"BUT NOTHING! I AM NOT IN THE MOOD TO BUY YET ANOTHER TEA KETTLE, NOR AM I IN THE MOOD TO LISTEN TO YOUR PAHTETIC EXCUSES! GET OUT OF HERE, YOU IDIOT! NOW!"

By this time, Zack had reached the bottom the stairs. Neo came running by as Will finished yelling at him. Hearing something else coming, Zack ducked. The ruined tea kettle soared over him and smashed into Neo, sending the swordsman crashing into the wall.

"It's a good thing you don't have many pictures hanging on the wall," Zack said dryly as he came in.

"Sorry about nearly hitting you," Will replied as he searched in his pantry for cereal. "I can't stand it when Neo does that… I'm amazed you've wanted to continue staying here more than going back to Illinois."

"Believe me, compared to flying to another state inside a suitcase, you would not mind being woken up early like this."

"I don't think I want to find out," Will stated. "So, it's almost time to go there?"

"We have about thirty minutes," Zack said.

"Dang it. I guess I'd better hurry up."

-----

"Wow! Are we the earliest ones here? That's a first!" Larka joked as they arrived in Teknisk Wereld, by the lake.

"No kidding," Hope replied, looking around. "So I suppose we should wait for them here?"

"Well, we didn't have any major plans for today besides to meet up here," Larka reminded her. "I guess today will just be a free duel day."

"I could use that," Hope said, eyeing her deck. "I added a new card that I want to test out."

"What, are you going to try to kill me with it?"

They turned to see Rue and Claire standing there, Ruecian and Perseus next to them.

"Maybe," Hope teased.

"I'm still impressed that your leg healed in only a few weeks," Larka commented, looking at Rue's right leg. By just seeing it, nobody would have ever been able to tell that it had been broken.

"Technology's an amazing thing," Rue grinned. "Although I do have some suspicions of my own… Demon Rue healed my heart when it was torn; maybe he helped speed up my recovery."

"That could be," Hope agreed.

"Either way, I'm not about to know," Rue shrugged.

"So the others haven't arrived yet?" Claire inquired.

"We have now," Will replied as he walked over, Zack following. "Neo delayed us. Again."

"What did you blow up this time?" Gaston asked the sheepish swordsman.

"A tea kettle," Will answered for him. "At least it could have been worse."

"Indeed," Hope laughed, remembering when Will's whole kitchen had blown up.

"You could say that," Rue snickered, recalling what had happened to the bed and breakfast kitchen.

"There's no need to bring up past events," Will muttered.

"Past events? What did we miss?" Draken questioned as he came up. Kisara and Darche were there as well. In a few seconds, Kazel came diving down and landed a safe distance away from them before walking over too.

"Nothing," Will said shortly.

"Alright, if you want to be that way, I guess I'll just get Rue to tell me later," Draken grinned. "So, anyone else missing?"

"Max and Gen," Hope answered. "And Brandi…"

"I guess we should have expected that," Draken sighed.

Since Miles had still not recovered from his incident with Thanatos, Gen had come on every day to report on his condition. Although Gen had hinted for the last few days that Miles was nearly ready to leave, he had not been sure when it would be.

For the last two days, Brandi had not appeared either. Max had explained that she was sick with the flu and had to stay in bed. Mana was staying with her at all times, so she would not come either. It also limited Max's time on Teknisk Wereld as well, since he did not want to leave her for very long either.

"So we're just waiting for the… two of them?" Darche assumed.

"Yeah. They should arrive any minute now," Hope said as she watched Malon paw at Daine, trying to get the bigger dog to play with him.

"And that minute would be now!"

Hope jumped back in shock as Miles came up from behind her. Everyone else just stared.

"Long time no see guys," he greeted them.

"You could say that," Will responded.

"You're already well enough to move around?" Gaston said in amazement. "After seeing how you had been injured, I had wondered if you would have ever been able to walk again. But recovering in a bit more than a month seems impossible."

"He isn't completely healed," Gen replied, coming up to them. "It's true that he can move around and such, but it doesn't mean he is in the best shape."

"I think the fact that I can walk without collapsing is a good improvement," Miles stated.

"I'll agree to that," Rue responded. "Welcome back."

"Thanks. So, what are the plans for today?"

Hope glanced over at Will. "Now that Miles is back, isn't it time to put the plan in motion?"

"Yep," Will nodded. "We'll tell you in a second Miles, but I'd like Max to be here first…"

"Gen told me about Brandi," Miles said grimly. "I hope she gets better soon."

"We all do," Kisara said quietly.

Miles looked over at her. "So, this is your girlfriend Draken?"

Kisara blushed, while Draken glared at him. "You just recovered; don't make me have to put you back in the hospital."

"It was just a question," Miles muttered.

"So, it appears that I was the last to arrive."

They turned to see Max come over. He sat down, glancing over at Miles. "You've finally recovered."

"Thankfully. Hey, Will, now that Max is here, can you please tell us what you meant by a plan?"

"Of course." Will looked around to make sure that he had everyone's undivided attention, and then explained. "Hope and I decided that when you got better Miles, we would all get together in South Carolina. That way, we could begin to search for the last god card together."

"So we'll be actually looking for it this time?" Zack inquired.

"That's right," Will confirmed. "We thought that a break for you guys would be a good idea, because of all the things that happened when it came to getting Osiris. Once Miles recovered, we thought everyone else would be ready by then, and we could begin looking. There's no telling how much time we have before it's unsealed, so we have to work quickly." He sighed. "But, there is a problem. We wanted everyone to go at once… however, Brandi is ill. The question is, should we wait for her to get better or start looking now?"

"…Brandi won't be ready for a while, by the looks of it," Max said in response, not looking at them.

"And we can't afford to wait…" Hope stated, but trailed off, ashamed of what she had just said. It sounded like she cared more about the god card than Brandi, which certainly wasn't acceptable. What was a piece of cardboard worth when compared to one of her best friends? Sure, it was a piece of cardboard that could change the fate of the world, but that could be put on hold for a few days while waiting for Brandi to get well, right? But she felt as though this god card was more important than anything else…

_What is happening to me? Why do I keep thinking things like this?_ Confused and disgusted at herself, she forced herself to concentrate on what Will was saying.

"Hope is right. The sooner we can retrieve that god card, the better. I'm sure we all care about what happens to Brandi, and that it would be great if she could come, but we must find the card as soon as possible. Besides, she wouldn't like it if we waited around for her when we could be doing something, right?"

"True," Draken nodded. "So that means Brandi will not be helping us until she gets better. When she does, we'll bring her up to speed on how we're doing."

"That will work," Claire agreed. Then, she added, "Max, do you want to stay with Brandi? We know you're worried about her; we'd understand if you didn't want to come immediately."

"…I would like to, but I won't. When it came to Osiris, I wasn't able to help at all. In fact, I was one of the main problems. So I want to try to make that up."

"You're sure about this?" Rue asked.

"Why are you guys trying to get rid of one of our best duelists?" Neo commented.

Will smacked him over the head with his book. "Shut up. You're already in enough trouble as it is."

Hope glanced at the title of his book. "Eragon? Wow! I've read that book too. It's great!"

"Don't make understatements," Will said.

"Will's not reading a Redwall book? What has the world come to?" Rue joked.

Will held up the book again. "Don't make me hurt you."

"You care about me enough to warn me?" Rue asked.

"No, I care about the condition of my book."

"Typical," Rue muttered.

Max ignored the side conversation. "I'm positive. I can't really help Brandi anyway. Mana will be there for her, as well as my mom and Hime."

"Then it's settled," Miles stated. "Where will we be meeting?"

"It can't be my place, due to Brandi's illness," Max said. "So there's only one other choice."

"Yeah, it'll be my home," Will told them. "I know some of you have never been there, and that the ones who have been might have forgotten the address. So I'll give all of you it again." He took out a sheet of paper and wrote his address on it four times before tearing it. Then he gave Hope, Rue, Max, and Draken one each. "Miles, we'll come by and get you from the hospital. I trust that Larka and Fell will be with you Hope, Kisara will be with you Draken, and Zack's already here, so that should cover everything."

"Sorry, but I won't be coming," Max stated. "I'll keep this in case I need it sometime, but I'm not coming this time. I want to at least be nearby Brandi."

"Sure," Will agreed. "Is everyone else ok in coming over?"

"There's one problem," Hope said. "I know mom will let me fly to South Carolina, but we won't have enough money to buy Larka and Fell tickets."

"You'll have enough money for yourself?" Rue asked.

"Yes. Dad's a big help with that; since he flies a lot for his job, he often gets discounts. That's why I've given Matt back some of the money he lent us for plane tickets; I didn't need to use it all." Hope shook her head. "I doubt I can get enough money for the two of them though."

"That just means we'll have to work around it," Larka stated as she petted Malon, who was lying in her lap. "You can go to South Carolina while Fell and I stay at your home. I wouldn't mind, actually. The planes are pretty cool to fly in, but the noise is almost unbearable!"

Malon yipped at her.

"I don't think Malon liked being separated from me either," Larka laughed.

"I guess you could still help us when we're searching in Teknisk Wereld," Draken said.

"Will anyone else have problems getting to South Carolina?" Gen asked.

"Nah, we can make it," Claire assured. "Our parents shouldn't mind buying us tickets again."

"We will be able to come as well," Kisara stated in her soft tone. "I have enough money for both of us."

"Then we're set!" Miles declared. "If all goes as it should, we'll be seeing each other shortly!"

"Miles, we'll come over to get you right now, if you're ready," Will told him.

"Sure, that'd be cool. Catch you guys later!" Miles and Gen vanished as he said that.

"I guess we'll take our leave now as well," Rue shrugged. With that, he, Ruecian, Claire, and Perseus were gone.

"Bye for now," Draken commented before he and Kisara vanished. Darche and Kazel followed them.

"Alright Neo, let's… go…" Will looked around, and slapped his hand against his forehead. "Great, he already left. I shudder to think about what he might be doing while I'm still here. Until next time." Then he vanished as well.

Fell didn't even say anything before teleporting out with Daine, leaving Hope, Max, Larka, Zack, Gaston, and Malon.

"Go ahead," Hope said to Gaston. "I'll be right there."

"If you say so," Gaston replied before disappearing.

Zack caught on to the fact that Hope wanted to talk to Max alone instantly. "Larka, I have something to ask you. Please come this way."

Larka looked over at Hope and Max, and then nodded. "Alright. Come on Malon!"

Hope waited until she thought they were far enough away to even avoid being overheard by Larka. "I wanted to request something."

"Yes?"

Hope felt herself blush as she forced herself to speak. "I want to stay at your condo again."

"What? Why on earth do you want to do that?" Max asked.

"It's… it's just… I just want to be there for you, ok?!" she said quickly, looking at the ground.

Max was silent at first, and then he sighed, trying to sort his thoughts. At the moment, his emotions were confused, and he was having a hard time thinking. "But…"

Hope, sensing him weakening, continued. "I don't want to hear any excuses! I'm worried about you!"

"But…"

"It isn't like you can stop me!"

Max tried to think of a counter for that, but finally gave in. "Fine. You can come if you want to."

"Thanks," Hope said, with a small yet triumphant smile. "I'll see you soon then!"

Max watched as she teleported out, and then sighed again. "I'm going to regret this." Then he left as well.

Meanwhile, Zack, Larka, and Malon had gone far enough away from their two friends so they would not overhear them.

"What did you want to ask?" Larka questioned. Malon raced ahead, running around in the grass while they talked.

"You never told us when you and Fell would come on," Zack pointed out. "So I wanted to know."

"Oh. How about nine? That seems to work fine for us," Larka said.

"Very well. I'll tell the others."

"Thanks."

"It's a pity the two of you can't come," Zack commented.

"Yeah, but we'll deal with it." Larka paused before continuing to speak the thoughts she kept having. "I miss having you around the house. It's been about a month, yet I'm still not used to it."

"But I hardly ever said anything when I was there," Zack pointed out.

"That's true, but it's not that… it's just that I feel better when you're nearby," she said, a bit shyly. "I don't know why though. Like I said, I just think that I'm not used to you being gone. I don't know many people, and you're one of the few I've been nearby the most. "

Zack seemed surprised, and then he smiled gently. "We'll see how it goes. It might be that we will have the chance to reside in the same location some other time." He looked over at where Hope and Max had been. "It looks like they're gone. Shall we leave as well?"

"Probably," Larka agreed. "Good bye."

Malon ran back over to her, and they both finally left.

-----

Larka removed the Envoyant Machine, and winced as the first thing she heard was yelling from downstairs.

"-ALREADY BEEN THERE TWICE THIS SUMMER! YOU DO NOT NEED TO GO AGAIN!"

Larka cautiously went outside of Hope's room, Malon following with his ears down. Covering her ears with her hands as a precaution, she began to go down the stairs. Gaston was in the family room, and kept looking towards the living room nervously. Fell was on a chair, eyes closed as he waited for the argument to cease. Daine had lain down on the floor next to it, as though he did not expect for Mrs. Gales to stop yelling any time soon.

After the pause, which Larka assumed had occurred because Hope was replying, Mrs. Gales began to shout again. "I KNOW YOU HAVE FRIENDS THERE, BUT YOU SEE THEM EVERY DAY IN TEKNISK WERELD! WE DO NOT NEED YOU GOING THERE TO SEE THEM! SCHOOL STARTS IN LESS THAN A MONTH, AND WE DO NOT NEED TO WASTE THE MONEY FOR SOMETHING SUCH AS THIS!"

Larka gingerly removed her hands when she was right outside the living room, so she managed to hear Hope's response this time. "Mom, this is important to me! This may be the last chance we have to see each other in real life for a long time! Please, let me go!"

"I HAVE JUST ABOUT HAD IT WITH THIS!" Mrs. Gales snarled. "I'M DONE ARGUING! IF YOU CARE SO MUCH, CALL YOUR DAD AND ASK HIM!"

"Alright, I will!" Hope snapped before running off towards the stairs, passing Larka. Concerned, Larka ran after her, up the stairs once more. Malon went over to Daine instead, whining at the bigger dog.

Larka went into Hope's room and found her there, sitting on the floor while leaning against the edge of her bed. She was gripping her cell phone, but was not dialing. Instead, her knees were drawn up to her chest, and she was crying softly.

Seeing her condition, Larka closed the door. "Hope?"

"I'm sorry…" Hope said, her voice muffled from her face being hidden. "I just can't take this anymore… I really can't…"

Larka sat down next to her. "You mean these arguments with your mom?"

"Yes!" Hope exclaimed, looking up at last. She swiftly wiped away tears, and forced herself to keep back the others threatening to emerge. "Why must she be against everything I do? Sometimes I think she really does hate me. She says it's because she cares about me… but I just can't see it that way!"

"She's being overprotective," Larka stated. "She cares, but she's showing it the wrong way. If she really wants to show her love for you, she should let you do what you must."

"Yeah…" Hope sighed. "It's something that can't be helped though. I doubt we'll ever get along. I can't wait until I become eighteen… moving away from this place will just be a blessing. We'll probably get along better at a distance. In fact, sometimes I wonder if I love my dad as much as I do because we never stayed together long enough to develop arguments."

Larka had no response to say to that. Hope was silent for a few more moments before punching some commands into her phone. "I know it's impossible to have help on an issue such as this. Thank you for talking with me though."

"I just wish I could help," Larka replied.

"Knowing that somebody is on my side is the best thing I can ask for," Hope said as she hit one final button. "So thanks." Then she lifted the phone to her ear. "I'm going to talk to dad now."

"Alright." She fell silent, listening to the conversation.

"Hello?" Larka heard someone say from the speaker in the phone.

"Hi dad. It's Hope," Hope said.

"Oh, hi! So what is going on?"

"Dad, I want to visit some friends of mine in South Carolina. I need to take a plane to get there, but mom is against me going…"

There was a pause before he spoke again. "Haven't you been there two times already this summer?"

"Yes, but… dad, both of those times were urgent, as is this one. I have to go there this time as well! Please, I need your help…"

The silence seemed to last a lot longer than the last one, but he finally replied. "Ok then. I will get the next plane schedule and send it to you over email. Check your inbox in about an hour. I'll cover the fee as well. I won't press you for answers at the moment, although I would appreciate being told at a later time. How does that sound?"

"It's great. Thanks dad!" Hope grinned.

"Ok then. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye." She pressed the end button on her phone. "Alright! He said he'd help!"

"I heard," Larka told her, smiling.

"You heard? Oh… I guess you could," Hope said sheepishly. "But I'm really relieved. I'm going to begin packing… after I tell mom." Then she opened the door.

Gaston had been waiting in the hall. Seeing them, he came over. "Hope? Is something wrong? You just went running by without saying anything…"

"No, I'm fine. Thanks for your concerns," Hope replied before they went downstairs.

Larka and Gaston waited in the family room again while Hope confronted her mother. This time, there was no yelling, so they had no idea how the conversation was going.

In a few minutes, Hope emerged and came over to them. "She agreed, although she was a bit reluctant. I'm going to get ready now."

"Alright," Larka said as Hope and Gaston went upstairs once more.

Daine looked up at Larka. "You want to go as well, do you not?"

"Yes, but I understand why I can't," Larka replied. "Fell, do you regret staying?"

"…" Once more, Fell was not in a talking mood.

"No, he wants to go as well," Daine responded for him.

"I suspected that," Larka said. "But how do you know?"

"Because he did not deny it outright," Daine stated.

"That's true," Larka agreed before sitting down as well.

After about an hour and thirty minutes had passed, Hope ran down the stairs with a backpack, and into the living room. Gaston followed, carrying a suitcase.

"You're still being the luggage carrier?" Larka joked.

"Well, at least I don't have to pull that large suitcase that Zack traveled in this time," Gaston commented.

Larka laughed at the memory of it. "I bet you're pretty grateful for that."

"Very," Gaston replied.

Hope came back, her mother with her. "I'll see you guys in Teknisk Wereld… when will you be on, anyway?"

"Nine, like usual," Larka said. "Don't worry, I already told Zack that would be our meeting time."

"Alright. Bye for now!" Then the three of them left.

Larka sighed. "It'll be pretty lonely with Zack, Hope, and Gaston gone."

As usual, Fell had no comment to that.

-----

Wesley Gales was not satisfied with what he had just done though. He trusted his daughter's judgment, which is why he had agreed to help her. But he had the feeling that she was involved in something much more significant than she said.

He closed his inbox window, and then picked up his cell phone and dialed a number into it.

"Hello?"

"Amy, it's your father."

"Hi! What's up?"

"I was just calling to see how you are."

"I'm doing pretty well. Being on break is something I can truly appreciate, although I'm dreading taking my first Spanish course when I get back to school."

He laughed at the comment. "Well, I'm sure you'll do just fine. So what are you doing on your summer break?"

"Not much, to be honest."

"Have you traveled anywhere? Hope just went to South Carolina today, and I was curious if you had gone anywhere."

For a minute, Amy was silent. Then she spoke. "South Carolina? Why did she go there?"

"To visit some friends, I believe. She said it was important, but didn't go into detail."

"She gave no explanation besides that?"

"No. Why are you so interested?"

"Um… I'm just curious, that's all. Sorry dad, but I have to go. I… I'll talk to you later, ok?"

Before he could respond, she hung up.

He smiled at her reaction. _So Amy does know something about this. I'm sure she will help Hope if it is necessary._

-----

Max got up, taking off the Envoyant Machine. As he did so, he saw Abby come into the room.

"That was fast," Abby commented. "You hardly ever stay in Teknisk Wereld that long these days. Why?"

"Miles has recovered, so we have decided to meet up about the god cards," Max explained, setting his Duel Disk aside. "Everyone else will be gone, so there's no reason to stay on."

"I see…" Abby gazed at Max. "But something else is distressing you. What is the matter?"

Max considered denying that, but knew he'd have to tell her eventually anyway. "It's Hope. She said that she wanted to stay here, instead of at Will's with everyone else. When I asked why, she said it was because she was concerned about me. But I just don't understand why she would care about me like that. It's confusing to me."

Abby smiled. "This is something you will have to deal with on your own. But I will give you some advice. If you can't make up your mind, then always follow your heart."

When Max did not respond, she went back towards the doorway. "I'm going to the hospital to visit Ender, alright?"

"Sure…" He trailed off as he noticed something he had not seen until now. "Wait. Why are you dressed up?"

Abby was wearing a black dress that was decorated with lotus flowers on it. Seeing him staring at the dress, she blushed slightly.

"I'm going to go clubbing with Lilian after she gets off her work shift," Abby admitted. "So I won't be back until it is late."

"…What?"

"Lilian is still looking for someone to love," Abby told him. "I'm just going along for the ride, you might say. So, I will most likely not see you until tomorrow morning."

"Alright then… have a fun time, I guess…" Max said before heading to Abby's room, where Brandi lay ill.

-----

Larka was already bored. Even though Hope, Gaston, and Mrs. Gales had only left about twenty minutes ago, she wanted to do something to occupy herself.

She made her decision and got up. "Fell, I'm going to go to Teknisk Wereld. Do you want to come?"

Fell shook his head.

"Ok, I'll see you soon." She ran up to Hope's room, Malon galloping after her eagerly.

In a few minutes, she was unconscious.

-----

"I think this is the first time we've ever been alone in Teknisk Wereld," Larka commented to Malon as they emerged at the lake. "Where do you think we should go?"

Malon instantly ran towards the forest. Laughing at the puppy's energy, Larka went after him.

They soon entered the trees, and simply enjoyed the thrill of racing through the calm forest. There were few wild monsters out today, and those that were there ignored the two of them. Malon did chase a Quick Squirrel, but the creature lived up to its name. It sped up the tree, leaving Malon stupefied.

"Nice try Malon," Larka teased as he sniffed at the base of the tree the Quick Squirrel had run up. "But you aren't going to be able to catch him now."

Malon gave a soft growl of irritation before beginning to walk away from the tree. But then he suddenly froze, sniffing the air. Then, with a bark, he ran in a different direction.

"Malon?" Larka leapt after him, following him as he ran.

Soon they emerged at a clearing with the river flowing through it. Although Larka did not know it, this was near the area where the original group had first met Segreto.

But there was someone here. Actually, there were four standing there. Larka instantly recognized them.

"Sarius!" Larka exclaimed. She glanced at the other three, which were The Child, Raid, and Cyrus.

Sarius nodded. "Good, you came. I was hoping I would be able to find you before everything began."

"Huh?" Larka noticed that Sarius seemed unusually serious, which made her nervous. "What do you mean?"

Sarius thought for a moment before speaking. "Larka, you are in grave danger."

"What?" She stared at him with wide eyes as Malon growled softly at the words.

"You do not know what you are, so I guess I will have to explain everything from the beginning. Please be patient. This is a complicated tale to tell to one who has no clue as to what they are experiencing."

"…Alright," Larka said. "I'll listen to what you have to say."

"Good. You might as well get comfortable; it might take some time to explain." He sat down, and Larka followed suit. Malon went into her lap instantly. She stroked him absentmindedly as she watched Sarius.

Sarius sighed. "I will try my best to explain what is occurring. First of all, you are aware that Earth and Teknisk Wereld are two different worlds, right?"

"Yeah. One is reality, and one isn't, right?" Larka assumed.

"On the contrary, both are quite real," Sarius told her. "But think about this. If there is another world, such as Teknisk Wereld, then you can assume that there are more worlds, right? What if there were a countless number of worlds, and all of them were being fought over for control, including the very one we stand in now?"

"Are you saying there are more worlds?" Larka asked in amazement.

"Yes, I am," Sarius replied. "And I tell the truth when I say that they are being fought over. You see, there are people called Emissaries. These people strive to control the worlds. They will visit each world, and try to seize it."

"…Are you an Emissary?" Larka questioned.

Sarius smirked. "Good guess. Yes, I am the Emissary of Balance."

"So that's why you use a Chaos deck…" Larka murmured. "Is The Child an Emissary?"

"The Child… is unique," Sarius stated. "Let's not even get into that, alright? I am trying to keep this as simple as I can."

"Sorry. Please go on," Larka requested.

Sarius picked it up as though he had never been interrupted. "What stops the worlds from being taken though are two Limiters. Now, I suppose I had best explain what Limiters are. They are people with a small, yet special power inside their souls that are passed down from generation to generation. These powers work together to ensure that no threatening amount of power will be unleashed on their world. So, when a being with an advanced amount of power enters their world, the Limiters cause that being's power to be lowered to an acceptable level. However, the people with the Limiter powers have no idea that they have them."

"The Limiters are very important to the Emissaries, due to a treaty that was written quite some time ago, and signed by all the Emissaries. It states that whoever reaches and attains the powers of the Limiters first gains control of that world, through whatever means they see fit."

"Now, this is why Teknisk Wereld has been affected by this. The Limiters in this world have not been found yet. I originally came to this world to search for them, but I didn't start right away. This whole time, I've been playing around, generally having a good time. But now I have a reason to heighten my search."

"Why?" Larka asked softly. She was mesmerized by the impossible yet true things she was hearing Sarius tell her of.

"I'm not the only Emissary with eyes on this world," Sarius said. "There is another that has come. Juno, the Emissary of Darkness, is now after this world. He has decided to strengthen his search here, so I am doing the same. Juno is ruthless when it comes to Limiters. He prefers to take their power by killing the Limiters. You see, when a Limiter dies, their power is instantly transferred to the next suitable person. But in that instant that the power leaves the Limiter's body, Juno is able to snatch it, gaining the power for himself. As for me… I attain Limiter powers in several different ways. But the point is, I have to find the Limiters before Juno does. He has several lackeys to assist him, who call themselves Mavericks. They are ruthless; I would highly advise caution."

"So, in summery, the race for the Limiters is on."

"Why are you telling all of this to me?" Larka inquired.

"Because I believe you may be the first Limiter," Sarius told her.

Larka stared at him in shock. Malon yelped in disbelief.

"M-me? That… that can't be… can it?"

"I can't be positive," Sarius stated. "But I believe that you are indeed the first Limiter. I would assume you are the light Limiter; generally, there is one for light and one for darkness. I am not sure though. I assume that Juno will reach the same conclusion I am though. So I am giving you a warning. Be very careful; Juno and his Mavericks will not hesitate to kill you and steal your power."

"Why must I be the one to carry this burden?" Larka asked. Her hands were shaking; she kept petting Malon so Sarius would not notice.

"Because you were the one most suited for this job." Sarius got up, and Larka did the same. "I have told you enough to keep you aware of the situation. The rest is up to you. Juno will try to kill you, as will his Mavericks. Also, there is another man that might come after you. He will want your Limiter powers as well. I will say no more than that though." He looked over at his companions. "Child, Raid, Cyrus, we're leaving."

"Wait!" Larka protested.

He looked back over at her. "Yes?"

"What about you? You say that you're an Emissary as well. Don't you want the Limiter powers too? Why would you help me if you need them?"

Sarius turned around again, causing Larka to think he would not answer. But then he spoke. "I do need them. But Juno is my enemy. Why would I not warn you of him? Now you stand a chance at beating him and his Mavericks. When it comes to being against Juno, we are on the same side. But… remember this. I will be after you as well. I have friends too, and they are just as strong as Juno's Mavericks. And we will not go easy on you."

He began to walk away, his companions following. But then he called one final thing over his shoulder.

"Stay alive, Larka! I want to have the chance to face you myself. I do have quite an interest for you and your brother, after all."

Larka stopped, pale as she recognized the words Sarius had said during her ordeal. But before she could ask him for more details, he was gone.

To be continued…


	2. Last Moments of Happiness

The chapters are going well so far, and with most of the story already planned out, it should be smooth sailing! I also now have a study hall-take that homework! So I hope for frequent updates.

John: Juno's Mavericks will give everyone trouble. And I'm going to have fun watching you eat those last words you said.

Habba: Muahahahahahahahaha… -Cough cough- Dang it!

Captain Obvious: Why thank you. And your other questions will be answered soon enough.

Demon Fan: What… the… heck? Ok, I'll sum up the answer to all your questions about who the Emissaries are in one word: no. As for Demon Rue, just keep waiting.

**Chapter 2: Last Moments of Happiness**

Larka, stunned by what she had heard, sank down to her knees. Malon licked her hand, whining worriedly.

"I'm alright…" Larka assured him. "I'm just a bit overwhelmed by it all."

Malon barked in agreement.

"What do you think we should do, Malon?" she asked. "I wonder… if we should go against them by ourselves." She considered that, and almost instantly shook her head. "No, that won't work… we'll be vastly outnumbered. But I don't want to get the others involved…"

Malon growled at her.

She blinked in surprise at him. "You think we should tell them?"

Malon barked again.

"Why?"

He sat on his back paws and licked her face several times.

"Hey, cut it out!" she laughed, pulling him away. "You think they'll be worried? Probably. Alright then. I'll tell Fell now, and tomorrow we can inform the others."

With that, they teleported out.

-----

Rue looked outside of the taxi and sighed. "Rain. They know just how to greet us, don't they?"

"We'll just have to deal with it," Claire said. However, she didn't seem too thrilled about the storm outside either.

When they arrived, Rue grabbed the suitcase they had brought, and they ran up to the door as quickly as they could.

Rue knocked at the door hastily. "Oy, open the door! We're getting soaked out here!"

Will opened it, and they went inside instantly.

"At least dry yourselves off before coming any further," Will told them, throwing each of them a towel.

"Such hospitality," Rue muttered as he worked on drying his hair. He had luckily kept his hat in his suitcase.

"Is anyone else here?" Claire inquired as she wrung out her own hair.

"Yep, they got me from the hospital," Miles said, coming in with Zack behind him. "And of course, Zack was already here."

"So we're still waiting for Hope, Draken, and Kisara," Claire concluded.

Another knock at the door cut off any response Will had. He opened the door again, revealing a drenched Draken and Kisara.

"Welcome," Will said, handing them two more towels.

"Nice place you have. I'd enjoy it more if our parade hadn't been rained on, literally," Draken joked.

"I'm sure," was Will's response.

"So, who are we missing?" Draken asked as Kisara looked around the room.

"Just Hope," Will replied. "She's been here before though, as has Rue and Claire. So I guess I'll show you two around the house. Oh, Rue and Claire, you're sleeping in my room in the sleeping bags. Draken and Kisara will be too. Miles gets the couch, and I get the bed, but we're going to alternate that each night. Zack… well, he stays in my room. Anyway, follow me, Draken and Kisara."

They went after him, Zack following also, as Rue and Claire went upstairs to unpack. Ruecian, Perseus, and Darche also came out to speak to Neo and Gen; Kazel certainly would not have fit inside any of the rooms in Will's house.

As Rue rummaged through the items, he came across one that brought a mischievous grin to his face. "I almost forgot about this… hey, Claire, I'll be right back, ok?"

"I know that expression, and I don't trust it at all," Claire told him. "I'm coming with you."

"Suit yourself," Rue said as he went downstairs. Miles was on the couch in the next room.

"Hey, Miles!" Rue called. "I brought a CD I thought you might be interested in. Want to see?"

"Eh? Uh, sure," Miles shrugged.

Rue handed him the CD case, and Miles read the title.

Will, Draken, Kisara, and Zack were at the back of the house when they suddenly heard shouts. With some apprehension, they went back towards the stairs.

They were greeted with the sight of Miles chasing Rue around the room. Luckily, there was hardly anything in the room besides a few pieces of furniture, probably due to Neo's ability to break everything he went close to, so the room was not about to be harmed. But Miles certainly looked like he was ready to kill Rue.

"Now what have you done?" Will asked Rue.

Rue was laughing too hard to respond, while Miles kept yelling at him. "I am not an angst-filled teenager! Take that back you jerk!"

"I never said you were!" Rue called back to him, still keeping away from him.

"You certainly implied it!"

"Um… what just happened?" Draken questioned.

Claire tossed him the CD case Rue had brought. "He told Miles he thought he'd like these songs."

Draken looked at it, and began laughing. "I have to admit, Rue has a point…"

"Shut up, or you're next!" Miles growled.

Rue finally managed to breathe properly. "Well, if you don't want it, maybe Zack would. It fits him too."

"What do you mean?" Zack inquired.

Draken handed him the CD case. Zack raised an eyebrow. "Linkin Park? I am afraid I do not know what that is."

"It's a band that's known for singing angst-filled songs," Draken explained. "Basically, he's saying to Miles that by the way he acts, Linkin Park would suit him."

"He knows me too well if he thinks that would fit me," Zack said dryly, tossing it over to Rue.

"Ah well. I guess I can always send it to Fell," Rue snickered.

"If you want to get torn to pieces when he learns why you would give it to him, then be my guest," Claire said.

"He probably would do that," Rue realized. "I suppose I'll just have to keep it then, huh? Maybe you'll realize the truth later Miles. If you ever do decide to try it, you only need to ask me for it."

"Go to hell," was Miles' response as he left the room.

"I seem to recall you saying that to me when we were playing Go Fish," Draken commented to Rue. "Up for a few rounds?"

"No way. My luck is terrible at that game, and yours is so good that you should be banned from playing it," Rue told him.

"Have it your way," Draken said. "It's getting late anyway; that plane trip wore me out. I think I'm going to turn in early."

"But what about Hope?" Kisara asked.

"Miles isn't about to wait for her," Draken pointed out. "We can say hi to her in the morning. Good night you guys."

"I'll come up when Hope is here," Will said. "I wanted to have some time to read anyway."

"Then I will retire as well," Zack decided, going up the stairs.

"I'm all for that," Rue seconded, going after him. Soon the room was empty, except for Will, who sat down on the couch and opened his book.

-----

Hope looked outside of the taxi as it drove up to the condo. The rain was still falling heavily, so she made a run for it.

She knocked at the door, which was opened shortly by Hime.

"Hello," Hime smiled. "It's nice to see you again."

"Thanks, same to you," Hope said, coming in. She shut the door, and then looked at her soaked clothes. "Um…"

Hime gave her a towel that was next to the door.

"Oh, thanks…" Hope quickly dried herself off, and then brought out Gaston.

"Where is everyone else?" he inquired.

"Ender is still at the hospital; Abby went to visit him," Hime explained. "Chasity is asleep. Max is with Brandi, as is Mana."

"How is she doing?" Hope asked.

"Badly," Hime sighed. "Brandi has some days that are better than others, and there are other times that she is a lot worse. Today is the latter."

"I see…" Hope trailed off, not knowing what to say next.

"You will probably want to get some rest soon," Hime assumed. "So I'll tell you what the sleeping arrangements are. Brandi is in Abby's room, as is Mana. Since Ender is not back yet, Abby and Chasity are on the bunk beds. That means you and Max get the fold out bed."

"WHAT?!" Hope exclaimed. She quickly turned away to hide her extremely reddened face from Hime.

Hime laughed at her reaction. "Sorry, but that's the only place for you to sleep. I'm sure it will be fine."

"Um… m-maybe…" Hope stammered, still looking very embarrassed.

Gaston refrained from laughing as well, seeing her discomfort. "You don't have to worry. I'm sure Max won't care."

"Yeah… Hime, I need to call Will's," Hope said. "Can I please use your phone?"

"Sure." She brought the duo to the kitchen, and handed Hope the phone. "Go ahead."

"I'm afraid I don't know his phone number," Hope confessed.

Hime brought out the phone book and gave it to her as well. "I'm going to get Max."

"Thanks." She quickly looked up the number and dialed it into the phone. "Hello, Will? Yeah, it's Hope. I'm staying at Max's condo, ok? Yes, we'll be at the lake at nine, just like always. See you all tomorrow. Bye… wait, what was that crash? Oh, you're right then, I probably don't want to know. Good night."

Hime and Max came in as she shut off the phone. She blushed slightly, but forced herself to meet his eyes. "Hi."

Max nodded, and went to the living room.

"I guess we're turning in now…" Hope said. "See you tomorrow Hime." Then she went after him, Gaston following.

Max had gotten into the foldout bed and already had his eyes closed, showing he wasn't in a talking mood. Feeling very awkward about the situation she was getting into, Hope got in as well. She knew her face was still not its normal color.

"Have a nice night," Gaston said, laughing softly.

"You're not helping," Hope muttered, concealing her face within her pillow.

-----

"Hey, Hope, wake up!"

Hope opened her eyes, and saw Gaston leaning over her. "Good, you're awake. It's eight. We need to get ready to meet the others."

"Alright," Hope said, getting out of bed. She noticed Max was already gone, and was quite relieved.

"Abby seems preoccupied with something, but she said you could help yourself to bagels."

"No, no, no!" Hope groaned. "No more bagels! I'm so sick of them!"

"Then ask her if there's anything else," Gaston shrugged. "Max already ate."

"Sure." She went towards the kitchen with Gaston.

However, the swordsman was preoccupied with something else. He had been worried about having to explain to Max about Hope's sleepwalking problem, but to his surprise she had slept peacefully. This was the first time he could recall her go a night without sleepwalking since Osiris had been discovered. He did not know what it meant though.

"Good morning Abby," Hope said as she walked into the kitchen.

"Same to you," Abby replied, not looking up from what she was doing.

"What are you making?" Hope inquired.

"I'm making a large dinner for Max and Brandi's birthday," Abby explained.

"Oh, that's nice. Listen, I needed to ask you…wait… Max's and Brandi's birthday?! Today is their birthday?!" Hope yelped, looking over at the calendar, which said the date was August 13th.

"Yes, it is," Abby smiled. "I still need to think of presents for them, as a matter of fact…"

"I had no idea they were twins!" Hope said, shocked.

"It isn't something they usually bring up," Abby replied. "They don't find it very important."

"But if today is their birthday, then I have to get them presents!" Hope exclaimed. "Dang it… I wish I had had more of a head warning than this! Abby, do you know if there is a mall nearby?"

"Yes, there's one about a mile or two from here," she said.

"Then I'm going out right now! I have to get them some gifts before it's too late! Oh, I hope I have enough time…"

"But Hope, we agreed to meet the others in Teknisk Wereld," Gaston reminded her.

"Yes, but I can't afford to waste any time! Gaston, would you please go and tell them that Max and I will be too busy to come on today?"

"Sure; anything to get out of shopping," he responded, with a disgusted look on his face. He had gone with her once before when she had went to a mall, and afterwards had vowed to never go again. He claimed it to be the most boring experience he had ever had.

"Thanks!" She grabbed a phone, calling a taxi. In a few minutes, she was off, running to the waiting vehicle.

"It's a good thing she brought some of her savings with her," Gaston commented. "Well, I'm going to Teknisk Wereld to see the others. I do assume Max will not be coming on?"

"Most likely not," Abby agreed.

"Then I'll tell them. See you shortly."

-----

Everyone was awoken by a loud crash. Will leapt out of bed and went out of the room without a word. The rest, having seen the expression on his face, decided it would be best to remain where they were.

A few minutes later, he came back in, looking rather calm. "Since my toaster is unable to be used now, we will not be having bagels this morning."

"For once, I am really grateful for Neo," Rue joked.

Will glared at Rue, and he shut up. "But luckily, the microwave is in working order. I can still make bacon."

"That sounds good," Draken said. "It's been a while since I've had that."

"Good, I'll start making it." He paused at the doorway. "By the way, Neo won't be joining us." Then he left.

"Ouch," Rue winced as they got up. "I actually feel sorry for him."

They went into the kitchen, and found Miles already sitting at the table. They also noticed that a part of the counter was completely blackened.

Miles still seemed stunned. When he saw them sit down at the table, he glanced around. Seeing that Will was not there, he whispered to them, "I have a suggestion for you guys; don't make Will mad."

"I've known that for a long time," Zack told him.

"What does he usually do?" Draken inquired to Zack.

"He spends anywhere from one minute to ten yelling at Neo, and then usually throws whatever he destroyed at him. One time, when it was the stove… well, let's not go into that."

"Please," Rue agreed.

Kisara seemed concerned about something else. "Where is Hope?"

"She's staying at Max's," Will said to them as he walked by. Luckily, he seemed to have already gotten over the incident.

After they had eaten, they went back upstairs and accessed Teknisk Wereld.

-----

They emerged by the lake, and saw that they were alone. After their Soul Monsters were brought out (including Neo, who still seemed worse for the wear but was well enough to be out of his Soul Card), they set off to find the others.

Soon they came to Fell, Larka, and their Soul Monsters. Malon came over, yelping joyfully as Daine trotted over calmly.

"Hi," Draken greeted. "Do any of you know where Hope and Max are?"

"No," Larka replied.

Kisara noticed that she seemed worried. "What is the matter, Larka? You look troubled."

"I'll explain it to everyone when Hope and Max arrive," Larka said.

Fell eyed her, but said nothing. He had noticed that she had been anxious last night, but had not pressed her for information. She had said she would tell him along with everyone else, so he had been patient with it.

Malon suddenly began barking again. They looked over to see Gaston appear.

"Hi Gaston," Darche greeted. "Where are Hope and Max?"

"They're busy, so they won't be able to come on today," Gaston informed them. "We'll be on tomorrow for sure though, ok?"

"Sure, I guess we can wait for another day," Will shrugged. "But why are they unable to make it?"

"I'd prefer that you ask them," Gaston said. "I'm not really sure they want me relaying why."

"Alright then. We'll see you tomorrow," Claire nodded.

"Wait a minute," Gen requested, before Gaston left. "Larka, do you want to speak to us now about what you have wanted to tell us? Gaston can relay the information to Hope and Max."

"No," Larka shook her head. "It's important that everyone is here. I'll wait until tomorrow…"

"You're sure?" Kazel asked.

"Yes. It can wait one more day, if it has to."

"Well, see you guys later then," Gaston said before vanishing.

"So I guess we'll just spend one last day relaxing?" Rue suggested.

"I'm all for it," Draken agreed.

-----

Hope ignored the looks that others gave her as she ran through the mall, glancing at stores as she went by but not stopping at any of them.

She finally halted at a fountain that was nearby the center of the mall.

"This is impossible!" Hope groaned, sitting down on the edge of the fountain. "I have no idea what I can get Max and Brandi…"

She gazed at the fountain, and taking a quarter from her pocket, tossed it in. "I wish an idea would come to mind…"

But as Hope looked back up, she saw someone passing by her.

Giving the fountain a glance, wondering if the rumors of wishes coming true had some fact in it, she ran after the person. "Matt!"

He turned to her, looking surprised. "Hope? What are you doing here?"

"I'm staying at the condo while we discuss where to find Ra," she said, a bit more quietly so nobody would overhear her.

"Ah. But why are you at the mall then?" he inquired.

"Abby told me that today is Max and Brandi's birthday! I didn't know until today… so… I'm trying to get them presents," Hope explained. "But I don't know what to get…"

"Well, why not get Max a card?" Matt suggested. "If you want, we can stop by my house, and you can choose a card from my rares."

"That would be great, thanks!" Hope eagerly agreed. "But I still need something for Brandi… oh, I know! Did she ever replace that top that got torn by those torturers?"

"I don't think so."

"Then I'll get one for her. Do you know where any clothing stores might be here?"

Matt considered. "Well, for Brandi… I think Belk would be your best bet. It's this way…"

As they walked towards it, Hope asked Matt another question. "Why were you here?"

"Oh, I have my reasons," he grinned.

"Like getting late presents, such as I and Abby are doing? What did you get them, anyway?"

"You'll find out tonight," Matt teased.

"I'm not good at waiting," Hope muttered, but did not argue.

After searching the store for a while, Hope showed her choice to Matt. "Do you think she would like this?"

He looked at it. "Sure, why not? Go ahead and get her that."

After paying for the gift, Matt led her out to his car. "We'll stop by my place before going to theirs."

"I'm glad you had your car with you," Hope commented as she got in the other front seat. "You saved me another taxi fare."

"Glad to help. We'll be there shortly…"

Hope was surprised to see them pull up to the condo. "I thought we were going to go to your house first?"

"Oh, I guess Lilian and I never got to tell you this," Matt realized. "We live in the same condo as them."

"And nobody told me this until now?"

"It's not like we can remember to tell you every detail you don't know. Anyway, let's go on in."

They went inside a door that was a few doors down from the Driger's area on the first story.

Their home looked pretty much the same as the Driger's did in appearances. They found Lilian in the room nearby the entrance.

"Hey Matt… Hope? You're here too? Hello to you as well."

"Hi Lilian."

"I'm going to show Hope some cards so she can choose one for Max, and then we're going over there," Matt told his sister.

"Alright. See you guys later."

"You're not coming?" Hope asked.

"Nope," Lilian said, going towards another room.

"She probably drank a bit too much last night," Matt laughed. "She and Abby went clubbing."

She had looked a little sick, Hope had noticed. But there was something she didn't understand. "What is clubbing?"

"What? You don't know? It's when you go to several night clubs; not much else to say about it."

"Oh. Wait… Abby went?"

"A bit surprising, huh?"

By this time, they had reached Matt's room. But Hope had one more question. "Does Lilian have a Soul Monster?"

"No, she has never gone to Teknisk Wereld," Matt replied, pulling out a bag. In a matter of seconds, he had spread out a large selection of holofoil cards. "Take a look."

"I'm still amazed by how many cards you have," Hope said, kneeling down in front of them. "I don't know how I'll ever be able to choose one out of all these choices!"

"Take your time," Matt advised. "Read a few before you make your decision."

She picked up a couple that looked interesting, but found that none of them really fit Max's deck. She put them to the side and looked for some more.

Then one caught her eye. She lifted it, reading its effect. Then she nodded.

"I think I want to give him this one."

Matt looked at it, and lifted an eyebrow. "Interesting choice, but it's a handy card. I'm sure he'll find a use for it." Then Matt put away the rest of his other cards into the bag carefully and slung it over his shoulder.

"How much do I owe you?" Hope inquired.

"Nothing. I didn't need it anyway."

"Thanks," Hope said as they left his room.

"Not a problem. Lilian, we're leaving!" Matt called.

"Alright," they heard her respond.

They went over to the Driger's area, and Matt knocked. This time, Abby was the one who greeted them.

"Hi you two. Did either of you get any gifts for them?" she asked.

"Here." Hope handed her the box with Brandi's shirt and the card for Max.

Matt also pulled out a small, black, velvet box and gave it to her as well, and handed her his bag. "I think that's it. By the way, the bag needs to be kept separate from the other gifts… I'm going to let Max pick a few cards for his deck out of there."

After a few moments, she managed to hold onto the four items with some awkwardness. "Alright. I'll take care of these. You two should go see them." Then she went back towards the kitchen.

Hope and Matt proceeded to Abby's room, Hope knocking softly on the door. A few seconds later, Mana opened it.

"Hello," she said. "Come on in."

They entered, glancing at the two other occupants of the room. Max was on a chair next to the bed, while Brandi was sitting up with her back resting against the headboard of the bed.

"Hi," Brandi smiled as she saw who had entered. "Sorry I couldn't see you yesterday, Hope."

"It's fine," Hope assured. "I'm just sorry that you have been sick. How do you feel today?"

"Much better than usual," Brandi replied. "I'm glad that I am; I would hate having to be too sick to get out of bed on our birthday!"

"So you will be able to get up when we have dinner?" Matt inquired.

"Definitely," Brandi confirmed. "I'm not about to miss it."

"Then maybe you should rest up now so you will be ready," Hope suggested.

"Probably," Brandi agreed. "What are you going to do?"

"Most likely read," Hope shrugged. "I hadn't planned anything."

"I'll see you later then," Brandi said.

Max left the room, as well as Hope. Matt stayed; most likely he wanted to have some time to talk to Brandi before dinner.

As they left the hall, Max made as if to go to the kitchen, where Abby and Hime were. But Hope wanted to ask him something before he left.

"Max, hold on a minute."

He reluctantly stopped, looking over at her. "What is it?"

Although a bit wary of asking this question, she went on. "About… what happened in the forest… with Thanatos… well… um... I…"

"What is there to say about it?" Max asked shortly, not wanting to discuss the incident.

"Well… I just wanted to say… that… I wasn't saying that just to get rid of Thanatos… I really did mean it… and… um…"

She was cut off when Gaston suddenly came into the room. "Hope, you're finally back!"

Max seized the opportunity and left the room. Mad at herself for being unable to say what was on her mind, she went over to him. "Yeah, I am. Where were you?"

"I was just walking, since there was really nothing to do here." He noticed that Hope was still a bit pink in the face, but did not comment on it. "Did you get what you wanted to?"

"Yes, I did. So when is dinner going to be ready?"

"Abby thinks it'll be around seven."

"Sounds good to me."

-----

Abby's guess was accurate. It was just a little after seven when Hime came into the living room, where Hope was on the couch, reading her new book called The Crystal Shard, from the Icewind Dale series. Gaston had just been sitting nearby, thinking over some matters in the quiet moment.

"It's ready," Hime told them as they looked up at her.

"Alright, thanks." Hope reluctantly tore herself away from her book, and put it into her backpack before going into the kitchen.

Max was already there, as was Abby, who was at the head of the table, and Chasity, who was to her right. Hime sat down at her left. Max was on the right, between two unoccupied chairs.

That still left five chairs though. Hope looked around at them in bewilderment. "Where do we sit?"

"Gaston can be next to Hime," Abby answered. "As for you Hope… how about between Chasity and Max?"

_She did that on purpose, _Max thought in disgust as Hope took her place. He really did not want to have to engage into another conversation with her, so he focused his attention on Matt, Brandi, and Mana, who now entered the room.

Abby began to tell them where their seats were as well. "Brandi, you're at the back. Matt, you're to Brandi's left, and Mana, you're on her right." Although the Soul Monsters did not need to eat, they would of course still be attending the occasion.

They took their designated chairs, looking over the meal Abby had set up. Hope recognized the salad and garlic bread, but the main course was something she had never seen before. Usually she hated trying new things, but she had promised herself that she would be more open to testing different foods when visiting. So when they began the meal, she tested it cautiously. Then she took enough to fill her plate, along with some garlic bread (she loved it, but nothing could make her eat salads).

"This is great! What is it called?" Hope inquired.

"Chicken marinara," Abby replied, serving herself some of it. "I figured you would like it."

"Yeah, I like almost anything that contains pasta," Hope replied.

A bit later into the meal, Matt suddenly stopped eating, putting his fork aside as he got up. "Oh, I almost forgot. I found something today that I thought would interest you guys."

He left the room, and returned a second later with a magazine. He flipped it open to a page he had bookmarked by folding a corner of the page down, and offered it to Abby.

She looked over the article, and smiled. "Ah, I see…" She passed it to Hope, since Chasity seemed more interested in continuing to eat than reading the magazine.

Hope read it out loud. "Champion Duelist Wins Tournament Again… it talks about a great duelist who's name was Abigail Sable. But what does this have to do with…" She trailed off, looking at the picture of the duelist. "This woman… Abby, are you the duelist mentioned here?!"

"That's right," Abby confirmed. "I won that tournament before I was married, so my maiden name was printed."

Hope quickly read the rest. "That's amazing… I never knew you were such a good duelist!" She gave it to Max, who looked over it as well.

"And if she was that good then, just imagine her skills now that she has Hime," Brandi commented, looking at the article when Max passed it to her.

"Yes, having Hime's ability to manipulate spirits is always useful," Abby agreed. "There are other benefits to her too though."

"Like what?" Hope asked.

Hime grinned mischievously. "I'll give you a demonstration." Then she turned to Gaston, and spoke in a calm, persuasive tone. "Gaston, please stand up and come over here."

He instantly did as he was asked to, but what surprised Hope was the blank look in his eyes.

"Gaston?" she said hesitatingly.

"Now, do a split," Hime commanded in the same tone.

Hope watched in amazement as he obeyed her, without any expression on his face.

"Alright, you can get up. That's all I wanted," Hime told him.

Gaston stood, and then blinked, shaking his head as though to clear it. "What happened?"

"I never knew you were so good at gymnastics," Mana laughed. This only confused the swordsman even more.

"Let me explain," Hime said. "I have discovered that my voice is very persuasive when I want it to be. If I ask someone to do something, they will be compelled to obey me, or their body will do it automatically. So convincing Gaston to stand up and then do a split wasn't that difficult."

"I did that?" Gaston said incredulously as he sat back down. "Ow… no wonder my legs hurt…"

"Does it work on humans as well?" Hope questioned.

"Chasity can answer that," Hime smiled.

Chasity gave the Soul Monster a glare before going back to her food.

"She can't get out of going to bed anymore," Hime explained. "If she tries, then I can just make her fall asleep on the spot."

"Brutal yet effective," Hope laughed.

They finished eating shortly after that, and moved on to dessert. Again, Hope had never even heard of the cake that was served, but she was delighted by it.

"What is this called?" Hope asked before taking another bite.

"It's red velvet cake," Abby explained. "It can taste like a variety of things… this one is normal."

"I give my compliments," Hope responded before going back to focusing on her dessert. The others stayed silent as well until they were all done.

To avoid having them crowd the kitchen, Hime took the plates and silverware away while Abby left the room. She returned with an enormous gift bag.

"Geez mom. Don't you think that's a bit much?" Brandi asked, staring at the large bag.

"It holds all of the presents Matt, Hope, and I got you," Abby explained. She set it down in the center of the table. "Choose amongst yourselves as to who goes first."

Max shrugged. "I don't care. Go ahead Brandi."

"But you should. You're older than me, after all," Brandi pointed out.

"Yeah, an hour really makes a difference," Max said sarcastically. "Just open one already."

"Alright then…" She reached inside, and pulled out a small white box. Giving it a curious look, she asked, "Who is this from?"

"Me," Abby replied.

Brandi opened the box carefully, and stared at the item inside. "But mom… this is yours!"

"It was mine," Abby corrected. "And now I've passed it on to you. Go ahead and show the others what it is."

Brandi held up her present for the rest of them to see. It was the gold locket Hope had seen Abby wearing when they had first met. The piece of jewelry looked old, yet remained beautiful.

"Does it have anything inside?" Hope asked.

Brandi opened it, and passed it to Hope. "It's a picture of us before… dad died."

Hope gazed sadly at the four happy people inside the picture, who had had no idea then as to what would happen in the future. "I'm sure you'll treasure it."

"Of course," Brandi agreed, taking it back and putting it on. "Thank you mom."

"I'm glad you like it," Abby smiled. "Now, how about you Max?"

He reached into the bag, and drew out another white box. But this one was much larger than Brandi's.

"That's from me as well," Abby confirmed to his inquiring glance.

He took off the top of it, and froze when he saw what it was. Then he brought it out.

Brandi recognized the old blue vest instantly. "That's…"

"Yes, your father's vest," Abby said. "Another family heirloom, you could say."

"…Thanks," Max finally managed to say, before slipping it on.

Abby nodded. "I'm sure you will make good use of it. Brandi, it's your turn."

"Sure." She brought out yet another white box, about the size of Max's. "And this is from…?"

"It's from me," Hope said.

She opened it, and grinned when she saw what it was. "I can guess why you got this."

"So you didn't replace the shirt that got torn?" Hope inquired.

"Not until now," she responded, bringing out the shirt. It was a black tank top with hot pink trimming.

"I wasn't sure if you'd like the colors," Hope said.

"It's great, thanks," Brandi replied, folding it back up before putting it away.

Max brought out a clear, hard card protector next. He seemed a bit surprised at the card he saw inside. "Soul Line?"

"I thought it might go well with your deck," Hope responded, looking nervous.

He read it, and nodded. "Yeah, this should help… thanks…"

Brandi looked inside the bag, and brought out a small black velvet box. "I assume this is from you, Matt."

"That's right," he confirmed.

"But there's nothing else in there," Brandi said, confused. "What about Max?"

"I rebuilt his deck when it was lost. I think that could easily qualify as a birthday present," Matt responded.

Max laughed at that. "You have a point."

"Still, I'm not that heartless," Matt said. "I'll let you pick a few cards from my collection to add to your deck, Max. You can look after Brandi's seen what she got."

"Sure, that'd be fine," Max replied.

Brandi opened the box. She paled as she saw what it was. "Matt!"

"So, you like it?" Matt grinned.

She picked the present up, which allowed Hope to see what it was. She held an ankle band, but Hope had never seen one as elegant as this one. It was gold, with diamonds on the outside. But as Brandi turned it over, Hope saw that Brandi's name was inscribed inside it.  
Brandi put it down carefully before fiercely embracing Matt. "Do I like it?! Of course I do! You knew I would all along!"

"Will would kill Matt for that understatement," Gaston commented.

"Geez, you know how to impress Brandi," Hope joked.

The two let go of each other, and Matt responded to her comment. "I learned from the very best. Randall was my teacher, you could say."

"Huh? You knew him?" Hope asked.

"Well, not really. But Abby told me stories of what he had done for her, so I picked up a few things."

"So that's why you were working overtime so often lately," Abby realized.

"It was worth it just to see the look on Brandi's face," Matt laughed.

"You listened to Abby talk often?" Gaston inquired.

Matt's expression darkened. "Yeah, I did. I didn't have many friends, and when Max and Brandi had run away, I was lonely. So I often came to see Abby, and she told me stories frequently. Of course, that wasn't the only reason I came though…"

"What do you mean?" Hope asked.

Matt glanced over at Abby, who nodded. He sighed. "I can sum it up in one word: Jason. But I'll give a more detailed explanation if you want one. When I was fourteen, I learned what he was doing to Abby. He abused her, to put it bluntly. One time when I came to visit, I found her tied down to the bed…"

"You mean he…?" Hope couldn't complete the sentence.

"Yeah… the bastard had a habit of raping her," Matt said, eyes flashing. "After seeing Abby like that… in so much pain from injuries from Jason, and me being helpless to assist… well, I confronted Jason. I hid in a closet when he was about to rape her again, and before he could, sprang out and hit him in the groin with a baseball bat."

Gaston winced. "That's one way to stop him…"

"Needless to say, he didn't plan on doing that again," Matt smirked. "He said he would leave her alone as long as I took care of her, and I agreed to that. So that's all in the past now."

Abby broke the uncomfortable silence. "It's getting late. Max and Hope, if you are going to Teknisk Wereld tomorrow, then you should go to bed now. Brandi, you should too-you need more rest. And Chasity, it's past your bed time."

Chasity held her tongue, remembering what Hime could do, and left the room. The others soon followed suit. Matt went with Brandi and Mana to Abby's room, and came out shortly afterwards. After Max picked out five cards from Matt's bag to add to his deck, Matt bade them goodbye and left.

With that taken care of, everyone was soon asleep, exhausted from the day.

-----

"And yet again, they're late," Draken said as they waited by the lake.

"I wonder why," Rue snickered.

A smack over the head from Will's book shut him up.

A few minutes later, Max, Hope, and Gaston came running up, looking slightly out of breath.

"About time," Miles commented. "Where were you guys?"

"We slept in," Hope said sheepishly. "Hime woke us up a bit late."

"But we're here now," Gaston stated. "So let's start discussing how we'll find Ra."

"Hold on," Larka said. "I have something to say."

"As do I," Zack stated.

The group had known Larka wanted to talk about something, but they had not suspected the same of Zack.

"Alright, so which of you wants to go first?" Gen inquired.

"You can," Larka offered.

"Thanks. I won't take long," Zack assured. "I just wanted to say that I went to see Vlademir a few days ago."

"What? Why would you do that?" Rue asked.

"I was curious as to how he had made me," Zack said. "Well, he explained that he had made the body in both Teknisk Wereld and in real life, which is logical enough. But what disturbs me is that he said he also used necromancy."

"Necromancy? Vlad could do that?" Claire asked.

"Apparently. He said he used several books to pull it off. But basically, he synchronized the two bodies into one and then inserted the soul." He shrugged. "I don't know if this is of any importance now, since Vlad is captured, but I found it interesting."

"As do I," Kazel growled. "I still do not trust him."

"He's in some of the highest security possible," Darche reminded her. "I don't think we'll need to worry."

"Maybe," Kazel responded, still not satisfied.

"He also said something about Thanatos," Zack continued. "Apparently, he had rigged his Duel Disk so he would be given Thanatos' vitality signs. And the results… he says they were completely erratic. He ran tests on them and said that in that state, a human could have limitless strength and speed."

"Well, that explains how Thanatos was so powerful," Claire shuddered.

"Yes. But now he is dead, so we don't have to worry. Well, that is all I wanted to say," Zack finished. "So, what did you want to tell us, Larka?"

Everyone turned their attention to the nervous girl, who was at loss as to where to start.

Larka began to speak after a few moments. "This is an important matter, or else I wouldn't tell you guys this now, when we should be searching for the last god card. I didn't want to get you involved either, but this is too big for me to handle alone…"

She hesitated for a minute.

"Go on," Zack requested. "We want to be able to assist in any ways we can."

"Yeah," Hope agreed.

Larka smiled slightly. "Ok then…"

But before she could begin, Malon suddenly leapt up and began barking, running over to the top of the hill, where two figures emerged.

Amy blinked at the puppy as he jumped at her. "What a warm welcome."

"Malon!" Larka grabbed him by the collar. "Get down!"

"Hi Amy! What are you doing here?" Hope asked.

Amy came over to the group, sitting down nearby them. Sakura did the same. "I was talking to dad yesterday, and he said you had gone to South Carolina. Hope, every time you go there, something is up. I'm tired of being on the sidelines, left to worry about whether you're alive or not. Whatever the problem is this time, I want to be able to help you and your friends."

"We're in firm agreement about this," Sakura said. "Please, let us aid all of you. We'll accept the consequences."

Hope knew that her sister would not take no for an answer. "Alright then. Larka was just about to tell us something, so we'll give you the details later. But if you would like to help, I think we'd be glad for the assistance."

"Excuse me, but who are you?" Kisara asked.

Amy looked over at her. "Looks like you're new to the group. I'm Amy, Hope's sister."

"And I'm Sakura," said her Soul Monster.

"Why have we not met before?" Kazel inquired.

"Well… technically, we're half-sisters, so I live in Florida," Amy explained. "But that really doesn't matter much. Larka, you were going to talk?"

"Yes," Larka nodded. "I guess I had best begin…"

Larka explained all that Sarius had told her about the Emissaries and Limiters. The others listened, extremely interested in the reason that Sarius was here.

"So what does this have to do with you?" Miles asked.

"Apparently… Sarius thinks I am the Limiter of Light," Larka said.

"Whoa, wait a minute! You're a Limiter? And you never knew?" Rue asked, amazed.

"Didn't you pay attention?" Will realized what he had just asked Rue, of all people, and sighed. "Don't bother answering that. But Larka said that Limiters didn't know they were Limiters, remember?"

"Um… yeah, of course I do!" Rue said hastily.

"So Sarius wants your power?" Hope inquired.

"Probably, but he seems more concerned about the other Emissary here," Larka replied. "He said that a group of people called Mavericks were after the Limiters. They're led by someone called Juno."

"Juno!" Hope exclaimed. Rue, Max, Will, and Claire all recognized the name as well, which brought back horrifying memories of him. It was especially bad for Will, who vividly remembered being killed by Juno.

"Do you know who he is?" Zack asked.

"Unfortunately," Rue growled. "We met Juno when we were combating the Generals of Hell. He had joined forces with them to get something…"

"He wanted a chance to duel Sarius," Claire recalled. "Juno killed Will, but Sarius arrived shortly afterwards." She shivered. "He was furious… they seem to hold such hatred for each other… I could barely force myself to watch their duel."

"Juno lost though, and was supposed to die for it," Hope continued. "He fell into one of the pits of hell. But Sarius seemed to think he wouldn't die… he said he was an omnihuman, whatever that is. Then he went after Juno. We never heard of Juno again, until now."

"Having him as an enemy… damn… I had hoped we'd never see him again," Rue said.

"We can't help that now," Draken stated. "If this Juno is as bad as you say he is, then we can't let him get to Larka."

"But how can we stop him?" Hope asked.

"How about talking with Sarius again?" Daine suggested. "He would probably be able to tell us how to defeat Juno."

"That's probably our best bet," Will agreed. "Larka, you found him in the forest, right?"

"Yes," she confirmed.

"Then let's go there."

As they walked towards the woods, Rue asked about something he had thought of. "Larka, did Sarius say anything about Limiter powers being hereditary?"

"No, why?"

"I was thinking about Fell. Maybe he's the Limiter of Darkness?" Rue suggested.

"I doubt it," Will replied. "Why would Sarius seek out Larka alone if Fell was also a Limiter? He'd tell both of them."

"Correct," Fell stated. "He seems to think something of me, but I am not sure what. I am not a Limiter though."

"Just a thought," Rue shrugged.

-----

Sarius stepped out of the woods, coming to the lake. But as he approached, he saw someone already standing there.

He instantly recognized the person that stood before him. Although he had known this person would be here, he was not thrilled to see him.

Sarius may have seen him before, but the man's appearance always got to him. He wore a black cloak that concealed all of his body except for his face, even though it was split down the middle. The front was fastened at his neck by a silver clasp that was the shape of a dagger. The bottom of the cloak was ragged, and it lacked a hood. But his black hair, which went about halfway down his back, concealed his face well enough to make a hood unnecessary. But when he moved his head to view Sarius, the hair framed his pale skin and his red eyes. Those eyes… they were what Sarius was always appalled by the most. They had a malicious glint in them that spoke of his true personality: a sickening individual that was fascinated with pain and death, and was more than capable enough to make it possible in both physical and mental means.

"I knew I would come across you sooner or later," Sarius said as a greeting.

"Nice to see you again, Tirran," the Maverick replied. "I would love to have revenge on you, but Bolt Katana has made it clear that he wishes for the honor to be his. That is fine with me though… I am not here to be against you. We are here for the Limiters, as you know."

"Yes, I know," Sarius replied calmly. The Child stood next to him, while Raid glared at the man from behind Sarius and Cyrus stood at the ready, his hand on his sword.

"I was ordered to keep out of other's ways, but I felt something that was just too tempting to pass up," the man smirked.

"What do you mean?"

"Can't you feel it?"

Sarius concentrated. At first, there was nothing… and then he felt a faint surge of power.

_What… ah, I see. Genkai Kyuukei. It's been a while since I've encountered that one. No wonder he would find it interesting…_

Sarius turned back to the man and shrugged. "Alright, so I can feel something too. And why should I care? Do what you like to try and claim it as yours; I am more concerned about the Limiters than a small amount of power such as that."

"Perhaps it is small now, but it holds much potential," the man stated. "If I can use it somehow, then the Limiters might be much easier to find and defeat."

"Potential for you, maybe," Sarius said. "Play around all you like; I'm going to get to the heart of the matter and find the Limiters. I do warn you this much though; I would not underestimate someone with this power. True, it is not much now, but being overconfident about controlling it will only result in you being killed again."

Raid suddenly hissed, turning towards the direction opposite of the woods. They looked over to see the group coming towards them. They were too far to make out who the people were, but they had recognized Raid and knew Sarius was probably there as well.

_Damn_, Sarius thought. _He'll see Larka, and that means that Juno's forces and mine will be on even footing. Oh well… they would have found out sooner or later._

"Sarius!" Rue yelled when they were close enough to see them. "We need to talk to you!" But he trailed off as he saw the other man. Everyone else in the group seemed frozen in the same manner.

The man turned, walking towards them. But the bottom of his ragged cloak created a swirling effect, as though it was not really there. It seemed to be just wisps that phased in and out of existence, causing the group to be even more apprehensive.

The man's eyes locked on Larka, and he smiled coldly. "Now I see. You all seem to know Tirran, and that is because he has already confronted you, Limiter."

Larka forced herself to speak. "Are you a Maverick?"

While she was speaking, he had put his right hand to his shoulder. When she was done, he flung his hand out, which caused a crimson wave to appear. Almost instantly, a scythe appeared in its place, in his left hand. The scythe handle was made of a straight, black metal, and its blade was blood red. He twirled it in a swift, deadly pattern before it halted, its end with the blade pointing at the group. "I am indeed a Maverick. Call me Dark Scythe." He paused, glancing at Max, and then went on, as though nothing there had interested him. "You seem to know that you are a Limiter, confirming my suspicions. So you probably also know that my fellow Mavericks and I were ordered to kill you. That means that I could easily slay you, right this moment…"

"Don't you dare!" Draken snarled, stepping forward. Instantly, the Soul Monsters went to the front, weapons drawn. Kazel hissed angrily, and crouched low to the ground. The trigger to her springing would be Dark coming any closer.

Dark looked to his side, and saw Sarius holding a card in his hand. Although he looked unthreatening, Dark recognized the expression in his eyes. He smirked, and let go of the scythe, which vanished immediately. "None of you can compare to my strength at the moment. But I know Tirran will not just stand by and let me kill you, Limiter. Consider yourself fortunate." Then he walked towards the lake.

He halted at the edge, and looked over at them. "But know this. If you try to face us altogether, you are doomed. We work best when in a group. So if you want to stand any chance… try coming at each of us alone."

Then he vanished into the lake, and emerged in the dark realm that Juno resided in. As he went to find Juno, he considered what he had seen.

_The Limiter… she is somewhat stronger than many Limiters, but she is still weak enough for most of us to kill with ease. But there was another… _Dark recalled the boy that he had seen in the group. _He was the one with the power I sensed. Perhaps I could make a use of it… if he knows the Limiter, maybe he can even be manipulated into killing her for me. _His mouth curled into a sneer. _It is my specialty, after all…_

-----

Sarius went towards the lake, knowing Dark Scythe was long gone. "Child, we leave."

"Hai, Tirran-sama."

"Hey, wait!" Miles protested. "We need to know something!"

But Sarius wasn't in the mood to listen. He leapt into the water, his three companions following. The group ran over to the waters, but they were gone.

"That man… Dark Scythe…" Hope shivered. "He was… I can't even begin to describe how frightened I felt when I looked into his eyes…"

"I hope that Juno's Maverick's aren't all like that," Claire commented, still a bit pale.

Hope agreed with her mentally. She hadn't dared call up Dark Scythe's aura, knowing it probably would have overpowered her instantly. She didn't need it to know what a deadly foe he was though.

"Maybe… we should go back… and regroup…" Larka said shakily.

"Good call," Will replied. "We'll go back to where we entered, and talk it over there."

With that settled, they set off, back the way they had come. But this time, the silence that reigned over them was much more serious than before.

To be continued…


	3. Third Force

Hooray for constant updates. What, these aren't constant? Considering my usual writing rate, they are.

John: Be sure to add butter. Of course Hope got nice presents; what kind of a friend would she be if she didn't?

Captain Obvious: The Maverick's decks vary quite a bit from each other; you'll see what I mean soon enough. And yes, now that you mention it, I did answer two questions.

Erestor Telemnar: Hey, a new reviewer! Thank you for reading, and I'm glad you like my stories! But your question is a very hard one to answer. Author's writing styles vary so much from others; that's one great thing about reading several different people's works. So I can only give some very basic advice. Be sure to devote a healthy amount of time to it, and use proper grammar and spelling; it is amazing how many people would have excellent stories if not for those two flaws. Also, whatever story idea you have, go with it! Don't let anyone tell you how to write; it's your story, do it like you want to. But take criticism into account; people who suggest things are only trying to help you improve. Just know that you do not have to follow every idea; do it the way you desire. Sorry I can't be of much more help. But I will be certain to look at your story when you begin to write it.

Demon Fan: You'll find out later. That's all I can say for now.

**Chapter 3: Third Force**

"Let me get this straight. Juno now knows about the Limiter you've already found, because Dark Scythe saw her? And that means we're at about the same point in our search?" the woman inferred.

"Right," Sarius nodded. He was back with his four companions again. Of course, The Child and their Soul Monsters were there as well, but like usual they watched silently.

"And you didn't stop him? Way to go," one of the young men muttered.

"He would have found her anyway," Sarius stated. "The group this Limiter travels with has a tendency of getting into trouble, whether they mean to or not."

"So what do you want us to do?" another man asked.

"Test them," Sarius said. "Yes, I said them. The Limiter's companions will not bode well with us trying to hurt their friend, so you will have to duel them too. After what Dark Scythe said, I assume that the group will split up. So seek out the individuals. If you can defeat the Limiter, do so."

"How good are they at fighting?" asked the last man.

"Some are better than others. Most of them can hold their own, a few go beyond that. But you won't have to worry about fighting with weapons." Sarius went over to one of the empty pews and picked up the Duel Disks laying there, along with the rule books and Soul Cards, and handed them to each of their new owners.

"What are these? Cards?" the second man asked, drawing one to look at it curiously.

"Yes. These are called Duel Monster cards. The people who live in this world don't fight with ordinary weapons. Instead, they hold duels with cards. Usually it's just for fun, but on serious occasions, the winner of the game gets to decide the fate of the loser."

"How boring," the first one complained.

"It's the way they do things. We have to abide by the rules of this world, as you are well aware."

"And what are these?" the woman asked, holding up the white card with a black back.

Sarius indicated to Raid and Cyrus. "We call them Soul Monsters. It will all be explained in the rule book. Once you know everything you need to, feel free to start looking for them."

"What if we run into Juno?" the third asked.

"Do I really need to tell you what I want you to do?" Sarius grinned. "If you need a reminder, I'll only be too happy to speed up your memory. It's a race between me and Juno for the Limiter, and I plan on being the first to cross the finish line. If I have to trip other runners to do so, then so be it."

"Good answer," the first smirked.

"Then go ahead and look those over. I am going to look for them myself. Come, Child."

The Child got up instantly, and he went with the Soul Monsters to follow Sarius to the door.

Just as he was about to open it, Sarius paused. "Oh, I forgot to mention one thing. We aren't the only ones looking for the Limiter."

"So he came as well? Only to be expected," the woman shrugged. "I doubt he will be that much of a problem."

"Still, the more there are, the more irritating it gets when trying to keep them away from the Limiter," the first sighed.

"We've dealt with it before," the second told him. "And we will again if we must. You know how important it is to get the Limiters."

"Yes, I do," he admitted. "It doesn't mean I'm happy about the competition though."

"Then we'll just have to defeat the Limiter quickly, won't we?" Sarius said. "I'll be seeing you all soon enough." Then he opened the door. When the blinding flash of light faded, he was gone, along with his three companions.

-

Juno gazed around at the gathered Mavericks. This time, they had not been arguing, but were silent, knowing something important was about to occur.

"We have had a stroke of luck," Juno began. "Dark Scythe has found one of the Limiters."

"Light or dark?" Light Cross asked.

"Light," Dark Scythe answered.

"Male or female?" Tundra Flail inquired.

"Female."

"How about a description of the girl?" Wave Trident requested.

"About sixteen years of age, with silver hair that goes to her waist and yellow eyes," Dark Scythe listed off. "Wears white clothes, and travels with a large group."

"And you confronted the group," Juno inferred.

"Yes."

"Did you get any of their names?"

"No."

"I bet I can supply them," Bolt Katana smirked. "I took a visit to the town today, and although it took some effort to keep under cover, I learned quite a bit about recent events in Teknisk Wereld. About a month ago, a group of teenagers and a cyborg took down a company that wanted to take over the world. One of the members of this group matches your description, Dark. Her name is Larka, if I recall correctly."

"And the others of the group?" Juno questioned.

"I'll list off the names I can remember… the cyborg's name was Zack, and the two prototypes for experiments of a scientist in the company were called Fell and Larka. The others that helped went by the names of Hope, Brandi, Draken, and Kisara, along with their respective Soul Monsters. I think that was everyone."

Juno thought over it. "I recognize the names Hope and Brandi. They are part of the group I was asked to kill when I assisted the Generals of Hell. So it is reasonable to say Rue, Max, Will, and Claire are also part of this."

He pondered the situation before giving his Mavericks instructions. "Dark told the group that to combat us, they would have to split up. Bolt Katana, I want you to find the Limiter and kill her. The rest of you are to spread throughout Teknisk Wereld and try to find members of the group. When you do, kill them, especially if the Limiter comes across any of you before Bolt can kill her."

"So we can do anything we want to be able to complete this task?" Dark said.

"Yes," Juno smirked. "Don't let me stop you from any of your puppetry."

"Is there anything else we need to know?" Gale Katar asked, seeming impatient to get started.

"Yes, something rather important." Juno brought forth a black bag that the others had not noticed until now. He took out a deck of cards, drawing one from the top to show them. "These are called Duel Monster cards. In this world, people use these cards to fight their battles. You can try to kill them with your weapons, but it is likely that they will stop you with their cards. Therefore, the easiest way to dispose of them is to challenge one of them to a duel. Set the conditions of losing in a way so that you can kill them when they fall. As for the rules of the game, they give out rulebooks, which each of you will receive with your decks. Study the cards you are given, and then move out."

"So we will defeat them by using pieces of cardboard? Isn't that kind of… stupid?" Wave said in disbelief.

"Perhaps, but that is the way this world works."

Flame Buster cast an inquiring glance at Zork.

Juno saw what he was looking at. "You will all also get a Duel Disk, which let you play the game, and a Soul Monster. This is my Soul Monster, Zork. Yours will affect the game in some way, so use it well."

"So, just another tool for this battle?" Wave inferred.

"You could say that," Juno shrugged. "Anyway, that is all for now." He handed them all their decks, rule books, Duel Disks, and Soul Cards. "Once you have learned how to play, go out and wait for them to come."

"What about Gaia?" Bolt asked. "I doubt he'll even be able to read the rule book."

"True," Juno admitted. "Alright then. Tundra, you're to teach him how to play."

"WHAT!" Tundra yelled.

"You heard me. Oh, Light, I need to speak with you alone. Follow me." Without sparing the furious Tundra another glance, he went a short distance away, Light following.

"I sure don't envy you," Bolt snickered as he passed by Tundra.

"This is all your fault, you cocky bastard!"

"Sorry, I don't want to waste time by listening to your rambling," Bolt said. "See you later, you crabby old maid." Then he ran off.

"Damn him!" Tundra growled, looking over at Gaia. But she realized that not obeying Juno's request would certainly be a bad idea. So with a resigned sigh, she opened the rulebook Juno had given her.

Juno turned to Light when they were out of hearing range. "I have special orders for you."

"So I won't be working for the team this time either?" Light asked curiously. When a unique mission needed to be completed, Light was usually the one to do it. She still got to fight with the other Mavericks on several occasions, but whenever something else was necessary, she didn't mind doing it. They were usually pretty interesting, after all, and she didn't have to hear the continuous arguing of the group.

"We know where the first Limiter is, but not the second," Juno stated. "I doubt Tirran knows the second one, so if we start searching now, then we can get a head start on finding the second one."

"I see your point," Light nodded. "So you want me to find the second Limiter?"

"Yes. Seek out the darkness Limiter. Remember, this Limiter will probably be male, but we cannot be sure."

In most worlds they had gone to, there had been one male and one female Limiter. Although this was not always the case, it was very frequent, as the Emissaries knew. Balance always played a factor when they were trying to claim new worlds.

"Then I'll do it," Light said. "When I find this second Limiter, should I kill him or report back?"

"If you can kill him, do so. If not, come back here."

"Ok, I'll do that." Then she left as well.

-

The group soon reached the edge of the lake that they had been at before going towards the forest. They sat down once more, and remained silent while thinking of what had occurred. Even Malon seemed depressed as he whimpered quietly.

Typically, it was Rue who got things moving. He looked around at everyone, and shook his head. "Where are we going to get by just sitting around here? Come on, we have to move! So things may not look good, but since when has that stopped us?"

Claire hit him over the head with her fist. Rue yelped and grasped his head as his hat fell to the ground.

"OW! What was that for!"

"Keep it down!" Claire told him. "Sound travels over open water. What if Dark hears us and comes back?"

"Well excuse me…" Rue muttered, picking up his hat, but not putting it on yet in fear of getting smacked again.

"Rue is right though," Draken said. "We need to lay out some plans to go against these Mavericks."

"Dark said that we should go against them individually," Gaston pointed out. "If we face them as a group, we'll most likely be slaughtered. I say we take any advantage we can get!"

"But what if it's just a ploy to get everyone separated, therefore weakening us?" Will suggested.

"They might even be trying to separate Larka from the rest of us," Amy said.

"So it's a lose-lose situation," Darche inferred.

Hope suddenly had an idea. "Not necessarily. What if we went in pairs? That way, we would still have someone to watch our backs, but we would not provoke the whole group of Mavericks into attacking us."

"That sounds like a good idea," Larka agreed. "I don't like being away from the rest of the group, but it is probably the safest route we can take."

Draken remembered his ordeal, when the Blue Eyes White Dragon had told him that the group needed to stay together as much as they could, but that they would have to separate at times.

_This is probably one of the times they meant, _Draken realized.

"Then we're all in agreement to this plan," Gen stated.

"But now we face a problem," Amy realized. "How will we split up? Do we just choose our partners?"

"That wouldn't be fair," Claire disagreed. "We can't have anyone be left out."

Rue looked at his hat, which he still held. "I know what we can do!"

"You mean Rue actually has an idea that might work? The apocalypse is coming," Miles joked.

"Look who's talking," Rue muttered before beginning to tell of his suggestion. "What if we each put our Soul Cards into this hat, and draw them out in pairs of two? The owners of the Soul Cards will have to be partners."

"Great idea," Max said sarcastically. "There's just one problem. Not all of us have Soul Cards, you idiot!"

Rue realized what Max meant, and looked away, speaking awkwardly. "Er… sorry… I didn't mean…"

Max brought out two halves of a card that Matt had given him, all that remained of Olympion. "I doubt this will fit your qualifications."

"Yeah… that was my fault… I'm sorry…" Rue managed to say.

"Besides, I don't have a Soul Monster either," Zack said, to break the tense silence. "So either way, that will not work."

"How about we add a card from our deck that nobody else has?" Kisara suggested.

"That'll be fine," Draken nodded. "I can draw the cards in pairs of two, if everyone is ok with that."

"Go ahead," Will said, pulling out a card from his deck and dropping it into the hat.

"We're lucky you wear that thing," Miles commented, putting in his own card.

"I'd prefer to get this over with so I can go back to wearing it," Rue grumbled as he put in a card too.

Soon, everyone had put one in. Draken carefully shuffled them around, not looking at them. When he was finished, he looked around at the members of the group. "Everyone ready?"

"Any day now would be great," Miles said impatiently.

"Alright…" Draken pulled out two cards, and looked over them. "Machine King and Volt Girl. Congratulations Zack and Larka, you're the first lucky winners." With that, he handed them their respective cards.

"That would be fine," Larka said, looking happy with the choice.

"I have no complaints about it," Zack stated with a small smile.

"Then for the second pair…" Draken examined the cards, and sighed. "Big Bangirl and Red Eyes Black Dragon. Looks like Amy and Kisara will be traveling partners. Oh well…"

"Disappointed?" Rue smirked.

"No, shut up," Draken growled.

"I'd be glad to accompany you," Kisara said to Amy.

"We should be good traveling partners," Amy replied.

Draken got over his regrets. "And for our third pair… It's End of Anubis and Retrained Elven Swordsman. Looks like Max and Hope are still together, whether it be in or out of Teknisk Wereld."

_Great_, Max thought with a mental sigh as he accepted his card. _I was hoping the drawing would be a way to get out of being paired with Hope… _

Hope blushed slightly but took her card back.

"Fourth pair time…" Draken smiled when he saw what they were. "Black Magician and Blue Eyes White Dragon. Up for it Rue?"

"You bet I am!" Rue said enthusiastically.

"Cool. Now, for the fifth pair…" Draken snickered as he looked at the next two cards. "Oh, this should be good… Mad Dog of Darkness and White Thief. Way to go Fell and Miles, you two should be perfect for each other!" He threw the cards over to them.

Fell caught his, but did not show any feeling towards the selection. Miles, on the other hand, had plenty to say about it. "What do you mean, we're perfect for each other! We're polar opposites! You mean I have to be stuck with that emotionless guy for the whole time we're combating the Mavericks!"

"Your luck is as bad as ever," Gen grinned.

"Shut up," Miles muttered, still in a bad mood about the choice.

"Only two more cards. Everyone take a wild guess at who will be in the sixth and final pair." Draken took out the last two cards. "The Legendary Flame Lord and Archangel Zeraato… Will and Claire obviously. Who didn't see that coming?" He gave them their cards and tossed Rue his hat. "And that's all folks."

"Not bad," Will commented. "At least I will know your deck fairly well."

"That's true," Claire agreed.

"It looks like we're all pretty satisfied with our partners," Amy commented.

"Do I look in any way satisfied!" Miles snarled.

"It's ok Miles. Even if you don't want to tell us, we know you two are the best of friends," Draken snickered.

"Ugh… I give up. You guys suck, you know that?" Miles grumbled.

Hope actually thought that the pairing was the best one Miles could have hoped to have had. Even though he had recovered from Thanatos' attack, he was still weakened by it. Combined with the fact that he was one of the weakest fighters in the group, he was one of the individuals that was in the most danger. Fell would probably be able to get them out of any situations they ran into though.

"Shall we set off then?" Gaston suggested.

"We need to decide one more thing first," Will said. "We will all be going to different areas, so we have to decide where we are going and when we'll meet up again. That way, if something goes wrong, we can search for the missing group."

"You're right," Larka agreed. "Zack, how about we go to the Sky Temple?"

"The Sky Temple? What is that?" he asked.

"You've never been there? Then we have to go! Last time we were there, it was a grim time, due to having to face a Commander of Heaven. But I was still fascinated by it."

"Then I'm fine with that," Zack said. Malon yipped excitedly.

"How about we go to the mountains?" Draken suggested to Rue. "Not many group members will be able to explore it easily, but I'm sure Darche can call up a few Blue Eyes."

"That I can," Darche confirmed. "Ruecian will also benefit from them in case we must fight. What do you two think?"

"Sounds good," Rue replied. Ruecian nodded his agreement.

"The mountains are a pretty big area though," Amy pointed out. "But with Kazel, I'm sure we could explore the section you don't get to."

"That works," Sakura responded. "If it's ok with you two, anyway."

"I will go with whatever you think is best," Kisara said.

"The mountains are my favorite area," Kazel stated. "So I have no arguments."

Hope considered the options remaining. "We've been to the forest a lot; one more time wouldn't hurt."

"It might be good to be in a familiar location," Gaston agreed. "What do you think, Max?"

"I don't care," Max said.

"We're running out of choices," Claire said.

"How about the volcano?" Neo advised.

Will frowned. "I don't like that idea. It just gives me a bad feeling…"

"I don't think I've ever been there," Claire commented. "And you're probably just getting a bad feeling because Vlad's base is nearby. At least, I think it is."

"Yeah, that's right," Will confirmed. "Alright then, it can't be worse than anywhere else."

"I'm fine with that," Perseus said.

Then they all turned to the remaining group of two.

"Why are you all looking at me?" Miles asked, shifting his eyes away.

"If you're waiting for Fell to make a suggestion, we're going to be here for a long time," Draken said dryly.

"You have a point," Miles sighed. "The only areas I can think of that are open is the plains and the canyon."

"There's also the snowy region," Hope recalled.

"Snow? I'll pass," Miles replied. "Can't stand the stuff. It's too bright, and too cold for my liking. I hated hiking over the mountains, and we already have two groups there, so that rules out the plains. So how about the canyon?"

Fell shrugged.

"That sounds fine," Daine responded.

"Then that's settled," Gen stated. "When and where should we meet up?"

"How about right here?" Darche suggested. "At nine, like usual."

"That works," Claire said. "We'll see you all later." Then she and Will set off.

"Until tomorrow," Gen replied as they left.

"Farewell," Kazel stated as Kisara and Amy mounted her, and Sakura vanished into her Soul Card. Then the Red Eyes Black Dragon took off, flying towards the mountains.

"We'd better get there too," Draken said as Darche lifted his glowing sword. "Zack, Larka, do you two need a Blue Eyes to get to the sky?"

"Thanks, but that wouldn't work," Larka replied. "How would we get back down when they leave?"

Draken grinned sheepishly. "True. Oh well. I'm sure you'll find a way up there."

"We'll go to Hector's place to see if he has any cards to manage to get us up there," Larka said. "If he doesn't, we can go to the plains I guess."

"Ok then. See you guys later," Rue said as two Blue Eyes White Dragons landed in front of Darche. They mounted quickly, and the dragons flew off.

"Goodbye for now," Hope told the remaining group as she, Max, and Gaston went off towards the forest.

"I guess we're the only ones left," Larka said. "Shall we go to town?"

"The sooner the better," Zack agreed.

They left the lake, going in the direction that the town laid. The trip was silent, except for Malon's occasional barks.

But when they were about halfway where, Malon suddenly broke away from them, running over to a grassy mound.

"What did you find Malon?" Larka asked, eyeing the mound.

Malon was already digging at it. The thin layer of grass, flowers, and dirt flew off to the puppy's small yet strong paws. Soon, he had uncovered it completely, and sat back, panting happily.

It was an ancient stone monolith. Larka knelt down in front of it to read what was inscribed on it.

"_This is the gateway; now insert the key._" She looked over at Zack. "I have no idea what that means."

"Neither do I." He went beside her, and gazed at the rock. "Wait. What is that symbol below the writing?"

"A rectangle. It looks like the size of a Duel Monster card." Larka had a sudden idea. "Wait, let me try something." She brought out a card from her deck, which was Dunamis Valkyria. She hesitated for a second, and then placed it on the rectangle, keeping her hand on it so it would not fall off.

For a few seconds, nothing happened. Then the card began to grow warm. Larka began to feel slightly dizzy as the world around her spun.

"Zack! Malon! Quickly, hold onto me!" she exclaimed.

Malon ran into her free right arm, whining. Zack grabbed her shoulder just before they vanished.

-

The first thing Larka saw when she opened her eyes was white. She sat up in alarm, and realized what it was; a cloud.

"I think we have arrived at our destination," Zack stated when he saw she had come around. He indicated to the Sky Temple in front of them.

"It's an amazing place, isn't it?" she said as she picked up Malon, who was about to rush off. The last thing Larka wanted was for him to fall off one of the clouds.

"I can see why you like it," Zack replied. "It's beautiful."

"Yeah, it is." She started towards the stairs. "If anyone else is here, I bet they'll be inside."

"Probably," Zack agreed, following her.

-

The man walked across the clouds, enjoying the calm breeze. He was in a hurry to find the Limiter, but he figured that he could search this area at a leisurely pace. Out of all the areas he had seen, besides the church, this one was the most comforting to him. The light energy here was nowhere near as strong as it had been in the church, but it was a bit higher than in most areas. That was a benefit for the man.

He caught sight of a structure in the distance. Curious to see what it was, he went towards in cautiously.

As he came closer to it, he saw three figures going up the long flight of stairs. He was too far away to make out the details, but he saw a few things. One was a man, and another was a girl with silver hair that glimmered in the sun. The third one was a small dog, most likely the girl's Soul Monster, that bounded playfully up the steps.

But it was the girl that made the man freeze. _That girl… so she's the Limiter of light. _

The man waited until they had entered the Sky Temple, and then quickly and quietly ran towards the steps. _The hard part is over; I've found one much more quickly than I expected to. Now all I need to do is defeat her._

-

"It is hard to tell what is more magnificent; the outside or the interior," Zack commented as they went down the marble hall.

"I have to agree," Larka nodded as Malon ran by them, sniffing the drapes and wagging his tail excitedly.

They soon reached a room that Larka recognized. "This is where we were captured by the Commander of Heaven called Rika. We were lucky that Draken happened to come by, or else she would have killed us."

"Fortunate indeed," Zack replied, looking around the room and seeing the door. "What is in that room?"

"Actually, I've never been in there," Larka confessed. "Rika put our Duel Disks and cards in there, but Brandi was the one to retrieve them." She went up to the door and cautiously pushed it open.

Another hallway lined with royal purple drapes greeted them. This one was not as long though, so they shortly came to another room.

This was smaller than the one they had been in, but it was much more impressive. Purple and gold drapes decorated the room's walls, along with three stained glass windows, one on each wall. Each of the ones on the side walls showed an angel, with elegant robes, stunning wings, and vivid eyes. The one to their left was a male, and the one to their right was a female. The center one was the largest and most elegant though. This one was of a male and female who were grasping hands, each with one wing. In each corner of the room was an elegant pillar, much like the main room. Otherwise, the room was empty.

"This is amazing…" Larka said as they looked on in awe.

"If there was any area that could even come somewhat close to comparing with the church, this would be it," Zack stated.

"Yeah…" She gazed at the center stained glass. "Those angels… they're both missing a wing. I wonder why?"

"It's for an ancient quote."

They spun around at the sound of the voice. Malon growled suspiciously as Zack instinctively brought out his switchblade.

The man who stood before them made no threatening moves though. He wore a blue and white trenchcoat with a long-sleeved white shirt and white pants underneath it. Around his waist was a black belt with a silver emblem at the center. He also had boots that were white and blue with black straps and gold buckles. He wore black, fingerless gloves, which were close by the blue endings of his sleeves with more black straps. His blonde hair seemed long, although it did not go beyond his neck. His sky blue eyes were a soft color, but there was an edge to them that told them he was certainly not gentle. This was enhanced by the silver sword with a blue hilt that was at his side.

He seemed unconcerned about Zack or Malon. "Since you do not seem to know it, I'll explain. 'We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.' I assume they had this picture to represent this area as one for angels. Neither of you know much about religion, I take it?"

"We know more about it than you might think," Larka said.

"Perhaps you do, Limiter," the man agreed. "But it does not seem so."

Malon snarled as he heard what the man had called Larka, and Zack tensed. Larka's nervousness was now overwhelming, but she forced herself to calm. "Are you one of Juno's Mavericks?"

The man laughed coldly at that. "Am I one of Juno's Mavericks? You couldn't be more wrong. I am completely against Juno, as a matter of fact."

"Then you're on Sarius' side?" Zack inferred.

"You could say that, I suppose. I support Sarius more than Juno at least. But when it comes to claiming worlds, I am on my own side."

"So you're an Emissary?" Larka asked.

"In a way… I am acting as a stand in as the Emissary of Light, until I can find the true one to relinquish that title to," the man explained. "I am an interdimensional being though, so any worlds I gain from the Limiters' powers I win are rightfully mine."

"That means you want to kill me too," Larka said.

"If I must," the man shrugged. "My name is Lario, by the way. Even if our meeting is to be short, I would prefer to be on a first-name basis."

"I'm Larka, this is Malon, and his name is Zack," Larka replied, hiding her anxiety.  
Lario nodded, and brought out his Duel Disk. "In the short amount of time I have spent in your world, I have learned that most here fight with cards. If that is the way I am to gain your powers, then so be it."

"Hold it," Zack interrupted, stepping up. "I can't just stand by if you are going to try to kill Larka. To go against her, you'll have to get through me first!"

Lario shrugged. "If that's what you want. I have the time to spare."

He brought out a Soul Card, and the Soul Monster appeared in a flash of light. The humanoid monster wore a gold and blue collar-like item and white pants, with a flowing cape. The inside of the cape was a dark purple, while the outside was white. His skin was a dark bluish-purple, as was his short hair. His eyes were a deep blue. He also had six golden wings, and a golden item behind his head that resembled a halo, but with several points.

"This is Ruler of Heaven Shinato," Lario told Zack. "That is his full title though; feel free to call him Shinato."

"I have no Soul Monster," Zack replied, his switchblade going back into his arm as he prepared his Duel Disk.

Lario raised an eyebrow at that. "I thought it was a requirement to have one."

"I am a unique case," Zack responded.

Lario thought it over, and realized what he meant. "I see… you are a cyborg. I should have known when I saw you bring out your weapon. I wasn't aware this world had that kind of technology though. Well, that doesn't make a difference to me." Lario hit a few buttons on his Duel Disk. "The conditions for this duel… how about we play without shields? That way, we know that the loser will not interfere again."

"If that is what you want."

"Are you ready to begin?"

"Whenever you are."

"Are you sure about this Zack?" Larka asked. "He's after me… you shouldn't have to fight when it is my responsibility."

"It is only right that I do," Zack said. "I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something happened to you while I just stood by and could not assist."

Larka blushed slightly at the explanation. Unable to come up with anything to respond with, she just nodded.

Zack: 8000

Lario: 8000

"I will make the first move," Lario announced as he drew. "I summon Sonic Bird. (1400/1000) When summoned, this monster allows me to place a Ritual Magic card in my hand from my deck." He selected one and swiftly shuffled his deck. "Then I lay one card down and end my turn."

_He probably has some kind of trap… why else would he leave a monster that weak on the field?_ Zack thought. _Nevertheless, I'm going to take the risk._

"I summon Magical Reflector Reflect Bounder. (1700/1000) And I'll have it attack Sonic Bird!"

"I counter with Book of the Moon," Lario responded. "This instant magic card forces your monster to change to face down defense mode."

"That isn't good," Larka murmured.

Malon gave an inquiring whine.

"Reflect Bounder's effect only works if it is in attack mode. Now it's completely vulnerable," Larka explained to him.

"I lay one card down as well, and that is it," Zack said.

"Let us see how you fare against this," Lario stated. "I now summon Senju God. (1400/1000) His effect is the same as Sonic Bird's, except that I choose one Ritual Monster card. Now that I have chosen it, I can special summon it by playing my Ritual Magic card, Ark of Miracles. I must sacrifice or discard enough monster cards so that their levels equal eight or higher, so I offer Sonic Bird and Senju God to bring forth Ruler of Heaven Shinato! (3300/3000)"

"So Shinato is actually what your deck theme is based on?" Zack assumed.

"Correct," Lario confirmed. "You will find that he is quite a deadly force though. Now I equip him with Meteor Strike. With this, he does damage to you even if your monsters are in defense mode. Now Shinato attacks!"

Shinato concentrated, bringing up a white ball of glowing energy between its two palms. Then a beam of white energy came flying from it, cutting right through the Reflect Bounder and slamming into Zack. Completely unprepared for the powerful strike, he barely managed to remain standing.

Zack: 4000

Lario: 8000

Zack looked at his Life Point amount in shock. "How could I have lost this many Life Points? Even if you can hurt me by hitting my defense monster, I should not have taken this much of a hit."

"Shinato also has an effect," Lario explained. "Each time he destroys a monster in defense mode, you lose Life Points equal to that monster's attack."

"Damn it…" Zack muttered. "That will make things much more difficult."

Larka could not bring herself to say anything; her concern for Zack was overtaking her.

"However, in response to that, I activate Cry of the Living Dead. This brings back my Reflect Bounder in face up attack mode."

"A minor set back," Lario shrugged. "I lay one card face down and end my turn."

Zack was reluctant to make his move, but he knew he had no choice. "This is a risky idea, but I can see no other way around Shinato. I sacrifice Reflect Bounder for Android Psycho Shocker! (2400/1500) With him on the field, all trap cards are negated. Then I activate Limiter Removal. This will double all of my Machine Sub-Types' attack power, so now it is strong enough to defeat Shinato! (4800/1500) Android Psycho Shocker attacks Shinato!"

"Unfortunately for you, I have hardly any trap cards in my deck," Lario stated. "But I have many magic cards, and I will activate one in response to your attack. It is an instant magic card called Enemy Controller. I can change any of your face up monster's positions, and I choose to change Android Psycho Shocker to defense mode."

Zack shook his head. "That was the only thing I could dare to attempt… I have no choice but to end my turn."

As he said that, the Android Psycho Shocker exploded. It took a few moments for Lario to recover from the blinding effects. When he did, he asked, "What happened?"

"That is a side effect of Limiter Removal," Zack told him. "At the end of my turn, all of my Machine Sub-Types that were affected by Limiter Removal are destroyed."

"So you managed to use that to your advantage," Lario realized. "Shinato will take off most of your Life Points this turn, but he can't kill you. If Android Psycho Shocker had remained though, you would have lost. At least you are resourceful. But it will not win you this duel. Shinato attacks once more!"

This time, the blast hit Zack directly, instead of being buffered by a monster. He fell to one knee from the force of the attack, but forced himself to rise quickly.

Zack: 700

Lario: 8000

"Are you alright?" Larka asked worriedly.

"I'll live…" he assured her. "But if I can't destroy Shinato, then I don't stand a chance."

"Then take your best shot," Lario said. "I end my turn."

Zack grimaced as he looked at his hand. "All I can do is lay one card face down and summon Drillago. (1600/1200) Then I play Cyclone, to destroy your Meteor Strike. Now Drillago attacks you directly!"

"What?" was all Lario managed to say before the Drillago went right through the marble floor. Then it emerged in front of Lario, drilling into him.

Zack: 700

Lario: 6400

"As long as you have no monsters with less than 1600 attack on your field, Drillago is able to bypass them to attack you directly," Zack explained. "That is all I can do."

"Not bad," Lario replied. "You actually managed to make me lose Life Points, which is more than I thought you could do. But it is over for you now. You can't hope to live this turn. For now, I summon Mirage Dragon! (1600/600)" Lario considered the field before him. "Now I will teach you of the brutality you will be facing. First I play another Book of the Moon, so Drillago goes into face down defense mode. Then Mirage Dragon attacks it!"

"I won't let you win that easily!" Zack declared. "I activate Attack Nullification, to negate your attack and end your battle phase!"

"Nice try, but that won't work," Lario smirked. "As long as Mirage Dragon is face up on my field, you cannot activate trap cards on your battle phase."

"Then I'm finished…" Zack said as he watched the Mirage Dragon destroy his Drillago.

"Yes, you are. Shinato attacks directly!"

This attack was too much for the cyborg to handle. He crashed to the ground, and lay their unmoving as the energy's blinding light slowly faded away.

Zack: 0

Lario: 6400

"Zack!" Larka exclaimed, running over to him and kneeling next to him. Malon leapt in front of them, growling at Lario as though to dare him to come closer.

Zack tried to rise, but fell back down almost instantly.

"Hang in there!" she said, before turning to Lario. "That was uncalled for! You deliberately had Shinato attack to make Zack's injuries worse!"

"Yes, I did," Lario stated. "And compared to what the Mavericks would have done, I was merciful. They probably would have killed him, whether it be in the conditions of losing or not. You could say that I was preparing you for the things to come by doing this."

"That's no excuse!" Larka exclaimed. "If he's seriously wounded by that…"

"He'll live," Lario told her. "If a weaker person could have survived through that, then I have no doubt a cyborg will recover quickly." He turned, and went to the doorway before looking back.

"You could call this a test. Now you have an idea of what you are up against. The next time we meet, I will not hold back." He glanced at Zack. "If you wish to protect your companion, I suggest you try harder on our next encounter. The way you are playing now will never do if you want to guard her." Then he left.

Malon ran up to the doorway and waited until he was sure Lario was gone before trotting back to them, whimpering fretfully.

Larka immediately realized that Zack could not even find the strength to move. With some effort, she managed to support the half-conscious cyborg and brought him next to the center wall.

"Don't try to move too much," she cautioned as she helped him lay down. "You need to have some time to recover."

"What… about you?" he managed to say.

"I'll be fine; I can watch out for any other enemies," Larka said, worry in her eyes. "Please, you must rest now."

"I'm sorry…" he whispered before falling unconscious.

"I should be the one apologizing," she murmured, although she knew he would not hear her. "I should have fought Lario. If I had, then he wouldn't be hurt…" She leaned against the wall, looking down at her companion and blinking away tears. "If only I wasn't such a burden… no, I can't think like this. I have to stay strong. The next person to come will be after my life, and I am the only one who can protect myself now."

To be continued…


	4. Accumulative Strength

February already… the months are just flying by.

John: Yep, more will come after them. Ketchup? Ugh, I can't stand the stuff. Then again, there's a lot of food I can't stand.

Demon Fan: Ok, nice as that sounds, that's not going to happen. As for Dark Scythe's scythe, yes, it is a very nice weapon.

Erestor Telemnar: Thanks. With all the people that are insisting on me updating, I think I shall keep them coming as fast as possible. I hope some of that advice helps sometime.

**Chapter 4: Accumulative Strength**

Larka knew that until Zack had recovered, they would be forced to remain in the Sky Temple. This might be a problem in the morning, she realized. If he was not fit to move by then, they would not be able to leave, so the group would probably become concerned for them. She hoped that they wouldn't panic over their disappearance if that happened.

_Relax,_ she told herself sternly. _Worrying won't change anything. If we can't make it down there tomorrow, someone will probably come to find us. Maybe they can help us leave this place-I'm not sure how we will make it out anyway. But we'll deal with that when we have to. Right now, all I can do is act as a sentry._

Although Larka was firm in her decision to keep a watch for any enemies approaching, she was exhausted from the events that had occurred. Combined with her worries, she could not help but fall asleep, still leaning against the wall as she did so.

Malon went over to her, looking at her still form. Knowing his master needed rest more than anything at this moment, he curled up beside her. But his ears remained perked for the slightest noise of an enemy approaching.

-

Larka did not recognize the area she was in at first, still consumed by the dreamless sleep she had experienced. But in a few seconds, she remembered they were in the Sky Temple. From there, she was able to guess why it was much darker than before.

_Of all the things to do! _Larka berated herself. _I was supposed to be watching out for enemies, and instead I fall asleep! _

She hastily looked around the area, but all was as she had left it. Zack still lay there, and Malon was next to her. He looked up at her as she stirred and whined softly.

She smiled at him. "You stayed awake this whole time? Thanks." She stood up, stretching, and making a mental note that sleeping in a sitting position was very uncomfortable. "Why don't you get some rest now? I'll stay awake for a while."

Malon had no objections to that. He crawled into her arms and soon drifted off.

Taking care not to wake him up, Larka stood and placed him on the stones before walking outside of the Sky Temple.

When she arrived, she saw that it was dusk. The normally clear, blue sky was now a beautiful mixture of orange, pink, and purple. Although Larka had indeed seen sunsets, this was by far the most stunning one she had ever seen. She stayed outside, sitting on the stone steps while gazing in wonder until the sunset had faded into the blackness of night, which was only broken by the stars and moon.

_Just beautiful…_Larka thought as she got up. _I wish Zack had been able to see it as well. Maybe I can convince him to come back and see it sometime. Yeah, I think I'll ask him when the Emissaries and the god cards are taken care of. _With that settled, she went up the steps and into the Sky Temple.

-

Bolt Katana watched Larka from his position behind one of the pillars. He had arrived there before Larka had come out, and had been waiting for nightfall before going inside. He had been checking over his deck one last time, to make sure that he understood the game for the encounter he would soon have.

But when Larka had emerged, he had decided to remain in his position to avoid alerting her of his presence. She was completely unaware of him while watching the sunset, and he knew that if he wanted to, he could kill her before she would even be aware of him.

_But where's the fun in that?_ he thought. _If they never get a chance to fight back, then this mission will be just plain boring. _

So he patiently waited for her to go back inside before doing a few last minute checks on his equipment.

-

Larka saw that neither of her companions had awoken when she arrived back into the room. She sat down next to Zack again, and gently lifted Malon. The puppy stirred for a second, and then settled in her arms. She stroked him as she listened for any signs of someone else. But the night remained silent.

A while later though, as she was watching her companion, he slowly opened his eyes.

"Zack! You're finally awake!" she said, relieved. "How do you feel?"

He tried to sit up, and even though it pained him, he managed to. "Terrible."

"Don't worry. You'll be healed soon," Larka assured.

"Hm? No, that isn't it," Zack said. "I'm just ashamed that I could not help you."

"What do you mean? You did help me!" Larka replied. "If you couldn't defeat Lario, I know I would never have stood a chance against him." She looked away shyly. "You saved me from a lot of pain… I just wish I could have done something, so you wouldn't have to experience it in my place."

"You've had enough agony to last your entire life," Zack stated.

"But still… that is no reason for you to have to take the blows for me…" She trailed off, not knowing how to go on.

"I prefer it this way," he said. "It is not as painful to suffer from wounds you have as to watch others with them. So don't worry about that… I have no regrets except that I could not protect you any more than I tried."

"Zack…" Larka said. But before she could say anything else, they heard a voice by the door.

"Nice speech," the man said, stepping inside with a sneer. "But I didn't come to hear any gallantry."

Larka leapt up, causing Malon to tumble to the floor with a yelp. She ignored that though, more concerned about the new opponent.

He wore a robe that was completely black, except for the white and purple lining on the area where the robe closed over his chest. He also had a crimson and lavender striped belt over it, along with beige sandals with one black strap on each. His black hair had a roughened appearance, and normally would have made it hard to see his eyes. But the red eyes were impossible to miss, even when somewhat covered. At his side was a katana with a brown handle and silver blade.

The cocky grin he wore, along with his red eyes and weapon, intimidated Larka greatly. But she forced herself to approach him. "You're one of the Mavericks?"

"Of course," he answered. "I'm known as Bolt Katana, often considered the strongest of the Mavericks. Juno himself sent me to deal with you. How about you?"

"Larka," she replied. "My companion is Zack, and Malon is my Soul Monster."

"Juno said that dueling was the only way to fight in this world." He smirked, and drew his katana. "But… I was always one for physical battles. Show me just how strong you are without your precious cards!" Then he lunged.

Larka barely managed to leap away from his katana. Even so, it tore her left sleeve.

_He's fast!_ she thought. But she didn't have time to think about his skills as he came at her again. This time, she went at him as well.

"Larka!" Zack exclaimed, trying to stand up but failing. But as he watched, he knew there was nothing he could do. The fighters were moving so fast that it was impossible to keep up with them. He could only hope that Larka would be alright when it was done.

Malon got in front of Zack protectively, but he was nervous as well and kept whimpering.

It ended as abruptly as it had started. One minute, the black and white blurs had been attacking at a ferocious speed. The next, Larka slammed into the floor, and Bolt had his katana over her neck.

"Not bad," Bolt commented. His arms had several claw marks, but they were shallow and he ignored them. "You were fast enough to keep up with me for a while."

Larka did not respond, knowing that she was at his mercy. Her shirt had been cut several times by the katana, leaving many small wounds on her body. Her right arm in particular had been badly injured, with a long cut that she had gotten when she had tried to disarm him.

Zack and Malon stayed still, not wanting to provoke Bolt into killing Larka. But this only reinforced the guilt Zack felt at not being able to help.

Bolt regarded Larka for a moment before lifting his katana, and swiping it across her, staining her shirt with the blood the katana had obtained but doing no more harm.

"But I have had much more training than you could hope to ever acquire," Bolt stated. "Killing someone with fighting who doesn't even have that much experience in battle is a boring thing to do. So let's see if you're any better at dueling than you are at fighting."

Larka stood up shakily. "Alright…" She attached her Duel Disk, which she had taken off a while back before falling asleep. She was quite grateful now that she had, or else it probably would have been hacked apart in the fight.

Bolt had left his at the door, and put it on now. Even though Bolt was not familiar with many support cards in Teknisk Wereld, he knew enough to be able to use a Red Potion to heal his wounds. Larka did the same, ignoring the pain that lingered.

"Are you going to be alright?" Zack asked, concerned.

"Y-yeah… I'm just a bit nervous…" Larka looked at Malon as he came to her side. "But we stand a better chance at dueling than a physical fight. So let's start this duel!"

"Let us," Bolt agreed, bringing out his own Soul Monster. It looked humanoid in structure, but its skin was purple. It wore black armor that covered its shoulders, sides, back, and legs, leaving its chest exposed. On each of his knees was a skull, and below the skull, the armor became deep blue with gold lines. The armor that covered his arms and ended at his hands as fingerless gloves was identical to his armor on the lower parts of his legs. His ears were very long, and came up over his blonde hair. His wicked red eyes matched Bolt's, and he carried a huge sword. The blade had ridges on the broad side of it, and it had a purple handle with two wing-like designs flanking the blade, and a red jewel in the center.

"This is Guardian Baou, my Soul Monster," Bolt said. "I find him to be quite fitting. Now, if you are ready?"

Larka: 8000  
Bolt: 8000

"You lost in our battle, so I will let you go first," Bolt offered.

"Alright… I'll start off with Jar of Greed, to draw two cards. Then I lay one monster in defense mode, and two cards face down. It's your turn."

"A good start for me," Bolt stated. "I play Tempest, destroying all magic and trap cards on the field."

"My Cry of the Living Dead and Destruction Ring are gone…"

"Excellent. Now I summon Igzarion Universe. (1800/1900) He attacks your defense monster, and I will activate his effect."

"His effect?"

"In the battle phase, I can use it. His attack is lowered by 400 for the rest of the turn, but he can also do damage to you if your monsters are in defense mode."

"Dang it," Larka groaned. "That was my Saint Magician… (300/400)"

Larka: 7000

Bolt: 8000

"But her reverse effect still activates," Larka said. "I can place one magic card from my Cemetery into my hand."

"And, of course, Jar of Greed is your only option," Bolt concluded. "I'll deal with that. I lay two cards of my own down, and end my turn."

"Yes, I got back Jar of Greed, and now I activate it. Now I summon Ninja Master-Sasuke! (1800/1000) Then I play Shine Spark."

Bolt closed his eyes as the field suddenly brightened fiercely. In a few moments, he was able to cautiously look again.

"This field magic card raises all Light Main-Type monsters' attacks by 500 and lowers their defense by 400. (2300/600) Then he attacks Igzarion Universe!"

"I'll let you get away with that," Bolt said as he watched his monster be destroyed.

Larka: 7000

Bolt: 7500

"I end my turn at that," Larka concluded.

"Hm… this will do well. I lay one monster in defense mode, and end my turn."

"I summon Wandering Hero, Freed. (2200/800) He attacks your defense monster!"

"You have destroyed my Shine Angel. (1900/400) When destroyed in battle, I am allowed to special summon one Light Main-Type with 1500 attack or lower. So I choose my Satellite Cannon! (500/0)"

Larka looked around in confusion when the monster did not appear. "Where is it?"

"It won't appear on the dueling field," Zack explained, knowing what it did since he had used it before. "You will only see it when it attacks."

"Oh… still, it doesn't seem that strong. Even though it's not on the dueling field, I can still attack it, right?" Larka asked.

"Correct," Zack said.

"Then I will!"  
The Sasuke vanished, and shortly reappeared as Bolt's Life Point counter decreased.

Larka: 7000

Bolt: 5700

"I may have lost Life Points, but you failed to destroy my Satellite Cannon," Bolt told her.

"What? How?"

"It's part of his effect," Zack stated. "Monsters that are level seven or lower cannot destroy it in battle."

"Oh well; it's still weak enough to deal with," Larka said. "I'll end my turn at that."

"But for how long will it remain that way?" Bolt smirked. "I lay one monster in defense mode and one card face down, ending my turn. This also triggers my Satellite Cannon's effect. It gains 1000 attack points at each of my end phases. (1500/0)"

"And since I can't destroy it… it'll just keep getting stronger until it has too much attack power to deal with!" Larka realized. "But there has to be a way to destroy it… and I'll find it. I lay one monster in defense mode, and then attack your face down monster with Sasuke!"

"I activate Cyclone, destroying your Shine Spark," Bolt declared. The room instantly became dark again. (1800/1000) (1700/1200) (1000/0) "You have attacked my Aztec Statue. (300/2000) You lose 400 Life Points."

"What? How? I should only lose 200!" Larka protested.

"Aztec Statue doubles the amount of damage you take when you attack it in defense mode."

Larka: 6600

Bolt: 5700

"Alright then… I guess I'll wait until next turn to kill it. Freed attacks your Satellite Cannon!"

"Not this time. I activate my two trap cards. My first is Standing Against a Formidable Enemy. This forces you to attack the monster I choose, and I choose Aztec Statue. My second trap is Cross Counter. If your monster's attack is weaker than my monster's defense, you lose double the amount of Life Points you normally would. Your monster is also destroyed. So you lose 300 from Aztec Statue, which is doubled to 600, and then doubled to 1200. Freed is also destroyed."

Larka: 5400

Bolt: 5700

"Argh… all I can do is end…"

"Perfect," Bolt said. "I sacrifice Aztec Statue to summon Legend Devil! (1500/1800) Then I activate Baou's Deck Master ability. I discard a card from my hand-in this case, Falling Bow of Stars-Shiiru-and choose a monster on my field. Its attack is raised by 1000. I choose Legend Devil for this. (2500/1800) Legend Devil attacks Sasuke! Then I end my turn. Now my Satellite Cannon is ready to attack you as well, on my next turn. (2000/0)"

Larka: 4700

Bolt: 5700

Larka looked over her hand. "There isn't much I can do, besides set one monster in defense mode…"

"On my stand by phase, Legend Devil's effect activates. He gains 700 more attack points. (3200/1800)"

"So that's the purpose of his deck," Zack realized. "He tries to raise his attack power as high as he can to overwhelm the opponent in one turn."

"Basically," Bolt confirmed. "Now, Satellite Cannon attacks your defense monster."

A white laser suddenly came crashing through the ceiling and hitting Larka's defense monster, causing a huge explosion. It took them all a while to be able to see again, but when they could, they saw that the monster was long gone.

"My Dunamis Valkyria didn't stand a chance… (1800/1050)"

"When Satellite Cannon attacks, its attack power goes back to zero. (0/0) Now Legend Devil attacks directly!"

Larka: 1500

Bolt: 5700

"I lay one card down. It's your move."

Larka looked at her hand, and then at her deck. "I can't hope to live for another turn, unless I draw something this time… I have a plan, but I don't even know if I have the cards in my deck to pull it off!"

"You can win," Zack assured her. "I've seen you play several times, and you have the cards to pull it off. All you need to do is draw them."

Larka smiled gratefully. "Thanks. I'm glad you have confidence in me." Then she drew, and nodded. "And this will work. I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"Legend Devil's attack raises by another 700. (3900/1800) Then I attack your defense monster with Legend Devil!"

"Too bad for you," Larka grinned. "It's my Marshmallon. (300/500) Since you attacked it when it was in facedown defense mode, you take 1000 damage. Also, Marshmallon can't be destroyed in battle, so trying to destroy it with your Legend Devil is useless!"

Larka: 1500

Bolt: 4700

"Stalling with that thing won't last very long," Bolt pointed out. "I end my turn. (2000/0)"

"It'll last long enough," Larka replied. "Because I just drew the other card I needed. I lay another monster in defense mode and a card face down. Then it's your turn."

"And my Legend Devil's attack raises by another 700. (4600/1800) Legend Devil attacks your new defense monster."

"I activate Emissary of Harmony! This lowers your monsters' attacks to zero, so my Blade Knight survives! (1600/1000)"

"Very well. That is all."

"Then I have you!" Larka announced. "I activate Malon's Deck Master ability!"

Malon let out his chilling howl, and another Dunamis Valkyria emerged.

"What did you do?"

"Malon allows me to special summon one Light Main-Type monster from my deck that is level four or lower once per duel. I chose to special summon Dunamis Valkyria."

"She won't help you," Bolt stated.

"Actually, she will. For now I sacrifice her, along with Blade Knight and Marshmallon, to summon Gilford the Lightning! (2800/1400)"

"You sacrificed three monsters?" Bolt asked, confused.

"It's his effect. If I sacrifice three monsters to summon him, then all of your monsters are destroyed!"

"What? I guess that leaves me only one choice. I activate Tidal Wave in response to your summoning. That destroys all of the monsters on our fields."

Larka glanced at her hand worriedly. "I lay one card down and end my turn."

"You may have rid me of my strongest monster, but he is still strong enough to finish you off!" Bolt said. "I activate Early Burial. This equip magic costs 800 Life Points to use, but it brings back my Legend Devil. (1500/1800)"

Larka: 1500

Bolt: 3900

"Now he attacks you!"

"I won't lose that easily!" Larka declared. "I activate Magic Cylinder, negating your attack and dealing direct damage to you that is equal to your monster's attack!"

Larka: 1500

Bolt: 2400

"It doesn't make a difference; you won't be able to win," Bolt replied. "I discard Devil's Sanctuary to raise my Legend Devil's attack by 1000. (2500/1800) That is all."

_It doesn't look good… but she can still win. No, she will. I have to believe that,_ Zack thought.

_I need to pull a winner here!_ Larka thought as she drew. She sighed in relief as she saw what it was. _Perfect!_

"I summon Volt Girl! (1900/800) Then I equip her with Shine Castle! This raises her attack by 700, which is just enough to deal with your Legend Devil! (2600/800) Volt Girl attacks! I end my turn at that."

Larka: 1500

Bolt: 2300

"Argh… just because I let my guard down one minute, I'm about to lose," Bolt growled. "I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"Then you've lost," Larka said. "I summon Twilight Zone Female Warrior! (1500/1600) She attacks your defense monster!"

"It's another Aztec Statue. (300/2000) You lose 500 Life Points; actually, it's 1000 with my Statue's effect."

Larka: 500

Bolt: 2300

"What a waste of an attack," Bolt sneered.

"Afraid not," Larka replied. "For now I activate my Twilight Zone Female Warrior's effect! Since she was in battle with your Aztec Statue, I can choose to remove both my Female Warrior and your Statue from the game!"

"Damn it!" Bolt swore. "And I have nothing else to block your Volt Girl…"

"That's right. She attacks, ending the duel!"

Larka: 500

Bolt: 0

"It seems you're better at this card game than you are at battling," Bolt commented, shutting down his Duel Disk. Baou vanished as he did so. "Now that I've lost, I guess I'll have to back off for now." He smirked. "But you're still going to be pursued by the rest of us, so I wouldn't relax just yet. Even if I am the strongest fighter of the Mavericks, I am more merciful than many of them. Some would not hesitate to kill you, even if you managed to win. So I advise that you be careful in your next encounters with us." He turned, and as he walked away, he called back, "If we face each other again, expect the outcome to be different! I am new at this style of battling, but I will still be able to defeat you in our next battle, if we have one!"

In truth, Bolt did not mind losing in the slightest. He had to admit that the duel they had played was pretty interesting, and he was getting the hang of it quickly.

_I mainly came here to have some fun anyway, _Bolt reminded himself. _Well, and to serve Juno of course. But my main goal is to enjoy myself, and I must admit I'm certainly doing that. _

_Still, there's one person I still want to face. Even though he has defeated me several times in the past, I can't help but want to face him. Even if I haven't won yet, I have quite a bit of entertainment facing off against him. If so, then why should I care about winning or losing? A chance to win would be nice though, so until then, I'll keep honing my skills…_

-

Malon let out a triumphant howl as Larka turned off her Duel Disk with a sigh of relief.

"Well done," Zack said. "I knew you could win."

"Thanks," Larka smiled. "I'm grateful for your belief in me; I know I don't have enough in myself."

"You should have more confidence in yourself. You are certainly capable of taking down anything you must," Zack stated. He looked over her blood-stained shirt in concern. "Are you alright now?"

She looked at her right arm, somewhat surprised by the pain she felt. "That's odd… I didn't even feel anything during the duel. I must not have noticed."

"I'm sure it will be fine soon." Zack winced as he felt agony course through him. "Hopefully, you will have recovered from it by tomorrow."

Larka had not missed his pained expression. "What about you?"

"Truthfully… I should have shut down a long time ago," Zack admitted.

"Why didn't you? It would have been safe to while Bolt and I were dueling," she pointed out. "He wouldn't have attacked you or anything."

"I was worried for you. I couldn't have let myself fall unconscious when you were fighting for your life," Zack said.

Larka sat next to him, and Malon went into her lap again. "Thank you. Your presence helped me get through that."

"I'm happy I could have helped." He pressed something on his wrist. "It's been a long day, and night. You should rest. Don't worry; if anyone else approaches, I will wake up instantly. So you and Malon can get some sleep before we have to go tomorrow."

"Thanks," Larka replied, leaning against the wall. Even though she knew she would be uncomfortable upon awaking, she knew she would be unable to fall asleep lying down due to her injured arm.

Zack had decided to not begin recharging until he was sure Larka was sleeping. Malon had almost instantly dropped into slumber. But as the minutes passed, he could tell Larka was still not asleep.

"What is the problem?" he asked quietly.

She looked up, surprised to see him still conscious. "I can't help it… I'm scared. Sure, I've been pursued by Viken before, but I've never been chased by ones like these Mavericks. To think they want to kill me… it frightens me…"

Zack considered her words. "Well, I don't blame you. Anyone would be scared of having murderers after them. I can understand your fears."

He hesitated for a second, and then put his arm around her shoulders. She tensed, unused to any kind of comforting gestures; she honestly could not recall the last time she had felt anything like that, except for when Fell had embraced her. But then she accepted it and came closer to him.

"But you have a lot of people who care for you, including your brother and your friends. They may not be here with us, but they are fighting for you, as I did today. They will continue to until you are safe, as I will. Even if I am injured, I will not hesitate to do anything to protect you. So please, let yourself relax."

The words had the desired effect. She pressed up against him, ignoring the solitary tear that escaped her. "Thank you… Zack…" Then she was asleep, but still with a smile.

Zack considered what he had just said, and what he felt at this moment. _I haven't felt these kinds of emotions in years… not since I knew __Crystal__. Could it be that…? _He glanced at the sleeping girl. _It's true. I can't deny it any longer. But how can I bring myself to say what I am feeling?_

Still unsure of what to do, but glad that he had been able to help her at least tonight, he let himself slip into darkness. But even then, he held onto Larka. Although she was asleep, she still felt, in her dreams, as though she was completely safe, for the first time in the past few days, if not in a very long time.

To be continued…


	5. Brute Force

I think now would be a good time to explain what is going to occur in chapters three through fourteen. Every two chapters will contain one group's adventures. For example, Zack and Larka were covered in three and four, so now we'll move to another group to see how they are faring. But what can get confusing is the timing of this. All you need to remember is this: when we move to another group, we are going back to the beginning of that day where they split up. The second chapter will end at about the same point of the night that Zack and Larka's did. It may not be quite as late as theirs, but it's the same basic time frame. Make sense?

Kinsei: Why thank you. I'm glad the Mavericks seem to be fitting into their character. I'm sorry to say that Gale is not in this chapter… in fact, it's one of our least favorites! But at least that means he'll be out of the way, right? I shall keep them coming, I'm happy you're enjoying it.

John: You're in luck John, you'll get to see that very deck this chapter.

Erestor Telemnar: Sorry, you'll have to wait on that one. It'll happen, but not quite yet.

Captain Obvious: I personally liked Bolt the best of all the Mavericks. Glad you thought he was cool.

Demon Fan: You did not want to see their training. It was very… um… let's not even go into it. And it isn't too hard to figure out who Bolt was referring to, just think about it.

**Chapter 5: Brute Force**

Kazel flew swiftly through the air, enjoying the first flying she had gotten to do that day. Kisara was familiar with the fast wing strokes, playful rolls, and wild dives that her Soul Monster usually took. Although it had taken a while for her to get used to, she had learned to love the excitement from them, and had no objections to the way Kazel flew.

Amy, on the other hand, gripped onto Kazel for dear life. It took her a few minutes before she could lift her pale face to look over the side. Seeing how far up they were, she quickly buried her head into Kazel's back again.

Kisara looked back and noticed her companion's discomfort. "What is the matter?" she asked.

Amy took a few moments to try to speak. "I can't hear you!"

Kisara blushed, remembering the problems most people had trying to hear her quiet voice. With the air rushing by them, it was only harder. Forcing herself to raise her voice, she repeated her question. "I asked if something was wrong."

"I'm feeling a bit sick!" Amy called back. "I can't stand flying, to be honest!"

Kazel heard her and slowed down, flapping her wings at a slower pace. "Sorry. I'm not used to having anyone but Kisara ride me."

"It's fine…" Amy still seemed a bit ill though, and did not look around anymore.

Luckily for her, they were soon at the mountains. Kazel descended on one of the flatter ones close by, to save Amy from having to be in the air any longer than she had to be. Amy gratefully leapt off, stumbling for a second but soon gaining control of being on solid ground again. Kisara looked over Amy, worried about her condition. "Are you going to be ok?"

"Yeah, in a few minutes," Amy replied. "I've never been one for flying. Just ask Hope if you don't believe me; she always had to come to Florida to see me, since I refused to walk onto an airplane."

"It's impossible for me to imagine not liking flying," Kazel commented. "But if that's how you feel, I'll be gentler next time."

"Thanks," Amy said. "Oh, Kisara, why do you talk so quietly all the time? It makes it hard to hear what you're saying."

"That is just how I speak," she said softly. "I never speak up unless I am forced to. I am sorry."

"No, it isn't a problem," Amy replied, bringing out her Soul Card. Sakura appeared shortly.

She grinned when she saw how Amy looked. "Have a good flight?"

"I'm not in the mood to joke around," Amy muttered.

"You liar. You're always ready with some humorous remark for anyone who comes your way!"

"I prefer sarcastic, but that works," Amy shrugged.

Sakura let the matter drop and looked around the mountain. "So just where are we?"

"No area in particular," Kazel responded. "I chose the closest mountain that I could safely land on."

"I guess any place would be a good area to start off at," Sakura said as she continued to examine her surroundings. Then she froze, staring at something.

They turned to look in her direction, and saw what had caught her attention. It was a black temple, with pillars and several steps. Completely the opposite of the Sky Temple, this temple seemed to be made of pure evil.

They had no way of knowing that Hope, Rue, Max, and Will had been here before, when they had faced Echecs. In fact, the temple looked nothing like it had when they had come there. But the companions were certainly intimidated.

All except for Kazel, who eyed it distastefully. "If a Maverick would be in this area, then it would most likely be inside that temple."

"Probably," Amy agreed. "Let's give it a try."

Even though they were a bit hesitant to enter the dark area, they went up the steps and inside. By folding her wings and struggling a bit, Kazel managed to get into the doorway as well, and followed them into the large room.

The room was pitch black, but Kazel could still see, and directed Sakura to a torch on the wall. She brought out her staff and shot a fireball at the torch, causing it to light instantly. With the help of the small amount of light, Sakura was able to light up the other ones as well. There were three on the side and back walls and one on each side of the door that they had entered in, so the eleven torches gave enough light to see by. But the paintings on the walls were the last thing they wanted to lay their eyes on now. Instead of chess demons killing others, it showed several Demon Sub-Types slaughtering each other. Kisara looked away from them quickly when she had caught sight of the bloody images. Amy shuddered and did the same.

"I don't like this at all," Amy stated. "There's nobody here, so let's just leave."

But as she said that, the door suddenly flew open, and then shut again as someone charged inside.

Kisara and Amy were too slow to react, but Kazel was ready. She instantly spat a fireball at the invader, which hit him full force.

But to their shock, the man was not even fazed by the attack and leapt into the air, bringing down a giant axe. Kazel ducked away, but the axe still sliced into her wing, causing her to roar in pain.

Seeing her friend in trouble, Sakura leapt into the fight, smashing her glowing hot staff onto the man's head. Again, he did not seem to notice, but turned to Sakura, bringing his axe down to chop into her. She barely managed to parry it with her staff, and even then she had to use all of her strength with both her arms to manage to keep the axe away.

This was the first opportunity for them to get a good look at their attacker. He was huge, at least six feet tall if not more. He probably would have in fact been taller, except he was hunched over, and didn't look as though he left that posture often. His whole body was covered with golden armor that was like medieval armor, except that he kept his tanned head uncovered. He had dirty blonde hair that was kept in a short ponytail that went down to just a bit below his neck. He also had brown eyes.

The axe he wielded was a very powerful weapon, to say at the least. It had a curved, double-sided blade that was a gold that matched his armor. The handle was a dark brown, and altogether, the weapon was as big as the man himself was. Even the members of the group who had seen Rue's huge battle axe would have been awed at how large this one was.

The man pushed on his axe with all his strength, which was just too much for Sakura. It slowly came closer to her, despite her efforts to keep it at bay.

But before he could cut into her, Kazel's whip-like tail crashed into him, sending him skidding backwards. He was far from finished though, and lunged at Kazel. She jumped backwards just in time; the axe slammed into the ground where she had been standing.

As a side effect from it though, the earth suddenly jolted. Taken by surprise from the earthquake, Kisara, Amy, and Sakura fell to the ground. Kazel kept her balance though, and slashed at him with her claws. Although they connected with him, they scratched against his armor harmlessly. The screeching noise it made caused everyone else besides the attacker wince.

Then he was on the offense again, and swiped his axe at her head. She quickly jerked it out of his way, but the hilt of the blade still struck her. She collapsed to the floor, momentarily stunned.

He brought up his axe to deliver a blow that would behead her, but was distracted when a fireball hit the back of his head. He twisted around to see Sakura already preparing to fire a second one.

He went after her this time. She threw another fireball at him, but he completely ignored it.

Sakura knew that she wouldn't be able to deflect this attack, even as she futilely raised her staff.

Then the attacker abruptly stopped as a wall of light came up in front of him. He growled and swung his axe at it, but it couldn't pass through the wall.

Sakura sighed in relief, lowering her staff. "Good timing Amy; thanks."

"Glad to help," Amy replied, looking at the card she had put into her Duel Disk. "I knew that Sealing Wall of Light would come in handy sometime."

Kisara didn't pay attention to their conversation though. She ran over to Kazel and looked over her injured wing. "Kazel?"

"I'm fine," Kazel said, standing up while shaking her head. "I just have a headache… and my injured wing."

"Hold on." Kisara took out a Compensation of Blood and then a Red Potion. Although it was very small compared to Kazel's size, the potion did its work just as well as it would on a human. The wing healed instantly, although she could tell Kazel was still pained by it by the way she let it limply hang.

Meanwhile, Amy was more concerned about the attacker. She studied the man warily. "Who are you?"

The man responded after a moment. "Gaia Axe."

"Are you one of Juno's Mavericks?" Sakura demanded.

"Yes," he responded after another pause.

"And you just rushed in and attacked us without a chance to defend ourselves!" Amy exclaimed.

"Yeah, I did," Gaia agreed, looking proud of himself.

"Just great, another maniac who wants to kill us all," Amy muttered. "Well, since we're at a stalemate, let's decide on who lives through a duel!"

Gaia blinked. "…A duel?"

"Yes, a duel," Amy stated. "What, haven't you played one before?"

"…No."

Amy sighed. "I suppose I should have suspected that. But you at least know how to play, right?"

"…No."

Amy stared at him before slapping her head in exasperation. "Then how do you expect us to solve this problem?"

Gaia looked at the wall and tried to chop it down again. He had no more success than the last time he had attempted it.

"Is this guy an idiot or something?" Amy asked.

"I would assume so," Sakura answered. "He certainly isn't as intimidating as Dark Scythe was, that's for sure."

"True…"

Sakura quickly got tired of watching Gaia try to cut down the wall. "Stop that, you big oaf! The only way we can settle this is with a duel, so get ready to duel, whether you want to or not!"

Gaia looked at his Duel Disk, unsure of what to do.

"You have to have a Soul Monster," Sakura stated. "Bring him out, and he can help you understand what to do."

He took out the Soul Card after a moment. The monster that emerged was one of the most twisted ones yet. Its body was black and similar to a shadow, not quite solid in appearance. Covering it were green ribbons, and the four clawed hands and arms that came out from it were purple. Its face was concealed by a blue mask, but its wild black hair and yellow eyes, which had no iris or pupils, were still visible.

"I think that's God of Destruction Vasago," Amy said.

After another pause, Gaia turned on his Duel Disk. Amy did the same.

"You wish to duel him?" Kisara asked.

"Yeah," Amy nodded. "You could probably win, but Kazel's in no condition to help out. Look over her while I take care of him, alright?"

"Thank you," Kisara replied, going over to her Soul Monster.

"Be careful," Kazel growled to Amy and Sakura. "He may be an idiot, but I get the feeling this won't be as easy as you suspect."

"Don't worry. I never underestimate an opponent," Amy assured.

Amy: 8000

Gaia Axe: 8000

"Since you don't seem to care about the order of turns, I'll go first," Amy said. "I summon White Magician Pikeru (1200/0) and lay one card down. That's it."

Gaia looked at his cards for quite some time, before finally laying a monster in defense mode.

"I'm surprised you didn't attempt an attack," Amy stated. "But whatever pleases you. On my standby phase, my White Magician Pikeru's effect activates. I gain 400 Life Points for each monster on my side of the field."

Amy: 8400

Gaia Axe: 8000

"Then I summon Big Bangirl. (1300/1500) I switch White Magician Pikeru to defense mode and end my turn."

This time, the wait wasn't quite as long. Gaia flipped over his monster. Amy's eyes widened as she saw what it was.

"A Haunting Blood Soul? (1200/800) I thought he would be using brute force… it looks like my view on his deck was completely wrong."

Then the Haunting Blood Soul lunged at the Pikeru, enveloping her in flames as it vanished. She resisted for a few seconds, but soon gave in and went to Gaia's field.

"What did he do?" Kisara inquired.

"That's Haunting Blood Soul's effect. By sacrificing it, he can take control of one of my monsters that is level three or less," Amy explained. "Again though, I'm surprised. I didn't know he'd be smart enough to be able to use that effectively."

Sakura cast a suspicious glance at Vasago. "He isn't. It must be Vasago's doing-he's probably telling Gaia what strategies to use."

"But he hasn't spoken at all," Amy pointed out.

"True, but remember that some Soul Monsters don't talk out loud," Sakura replied. "I wouldn't be surprised if his speech was telepathic or something of the like."

_Correct._

Amy blinked, startled at the sudden thought. Then she realized who it must be.

_Since Gaia will take up so much time otherwise, I will explain what is necessary. Although it may seem ironic, Gaia's deck is actually one of the most complex ones among the Mavericks._

"Go figure," Amy muttered.

Then the Pikeru vanished, being replaced with a much more intimidating, four-armed creature.

"I've never seen this monster before," Amy said.

_It is Baffomet. _(1400/1800) _Its effect allows Gaia to search his deck for a Phantom Beast King Gazelle and add it to his hand._

"Is that all he does? That doesn't seem very beneficial when you consider his weak stats and the fact that he requires a sacrifice to be summoned," Amy stated.

_Alone it is not very useful. But now that Gaia has both Baffomet and Gazelle, they can be brought together with this card._

Gaia slid in the magic card, and as the Baffomet's form began to twist, becoming combined with the Gazelle from his hand, Amy could guess what it was.

"Fusion?"

_To form Winged Phantom Beast Chimera._(2100/1800) _But that is not all._

Gaia discarded three more cards, all he had in his hand, into the Cemetery. A new creature formed in front of them.

"Another fusion monster? You had the necessary cards for it?" Amy exclaimed.

_Actually, he did not have another Fusion. But that is where my Deck Master ability comes into play. By discarding a card from his hand, such as that Grand Dragon, two monsters can be fused together as though a Fusion had been used._

"Then why did Gaia put Fusions into his deck in the first place?" Sakura asked.

_Gaia's__ deck was built by Juno, who did not know what my Deck Master ability would be. So he thought the Fusions would be necessary. As for the monster that now faces you, it was brought forth by Warrior: Dai Greyfar and Spirit Dragon. It is called Dragon Warrior. _(2000/1200)

Gaia indicated to the Big Bangirl, and the Chimera rushed at it. This brought Amy's senses back to her.

"I activate Destruction Ring on your Chimera! This destroys it, and makes us both lose Life Points equal to the amount of its attack!"

The ring of grenades formed around the Chimera. But before it could explode, the Dragon Warrior brought up his sword and sliced right through the ring. It faded away harmlessly.

_Dragon Warrior's effect is that it can negate any normal trap card by paying 1000 Life Points. So your Destruction Ring was useless._

Amy: 8400

Gaia Axe: 7000

After the Chimera tackled the Big Bangirl, running right over her and trampling her into the ground, the Dragon Warrior struck out at Amy, who had nothing left to block it.

Amy: 5600

Gaia Axe: 7000

"You alright?" Sakura asked as Amy got up.

"I've had worse," Amy shrugged as she drew. "The situation really isn't good with that Dragon Warrior though, seeing as we depend on traps quite a bit…"

"And your deck doesn't seem to have many high attackers," Kazel stated.

"I have none whatsoever," Amy confirmed. "But I can still defend myself. I play Level B Restriction Map! This permanent magic card makes all face up level four or higher monsters go into defense mode. Then I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

Gaia looked at his new card, but did nothing.

"Passing? Fine by me. I lay another monster down and end my turn."

This time, Gaia played the card he had drawn. A fierce gale appeared suddenly, causing the Level B Restriction Map be torn apart.

"Cyclone…" Amy growled.

After switching both of his monsters to attack mode, the Chimera sprung at one of her defense monsters.

"Another White Magician Pikeru…"

Then the Dragon Warrior attacked the second monster.

"That was my Quick Squirrel. (1000/100) When destroyed in battle, I get 1000 Life Points and can special summon up to two more from my deck in face down defense mode."

Amy: 6600

Gaia Axe: 7000

"Since you seem to be done, I'll take my turn now. I lay one card facedown, that's all."

Gaia started his turn with a magic card, one that Amy once more recognized.

"Jar of Greed…" Sakura stated.

Then he played another one, which caused the Haunting Blood Soul to emerge from the ground.

"Early Burial," Amy assumed. "You get your monster back in attack mode, even though it costs 800 Life Points."

Amy: 6600

Gaia Axe: 6200

After it appeared, he discarded a card from his hand. The Haunting Blood Soul began to morph, and finally emerged as yet another terrifying monster.

_My effect was used once again by discarding a Fusion Weapon. Fused by Haunting Blood Soul and Border Wiseman, this is Demon: Dark Baltar. _(2000/1200)

The Chimera lunged for a defense monster, but was stopped by a barrier that appeared.

"This is my Drain Shield," Amy announced. "It negates your attack and I gain Life Points equal to your monster's attack power."

The Dragon Warrior cut down the barrier as it began to form though, and the Chimera continued, unhindered.

Amy: 6600

Gaia Axe: 5200

"She must have known it would be stopped," Kazel commented. "So why did she do it? Is she trying to make him run out of Life Points by his monster's effect? I don't think she will have enough trap cards to pull that off…"

"We will see," Kisara replied.

The Quick Squirrel was quickly slaughtered by the Chimera. The Demon: Dark Baltar claimed the second one. Then the Dragon Warrior slashed Amy once more.

Amy: 6600

Gaia Axe: 5200

"I think now would be a good time to use this," Amy said, eyeing a card in her hand. "I activate Change of Heart! This allows me to take control of one of your monsters, so I choose Demon: Dark Baltar."

But as the card appeared, it suddenly shattered.

_Baltar__ has an effect similar to Dragon Warrior's. By paying 1000 Life Points, your normal magic cards are negated and destroyed._

Amy: 6600

Gaia: 4200

"Then I'll never be able to win!" Amy exclaimed. "I don't have enough cards at the moment to make him run out of Life Points and I can't hope to win when it comes to monsters alone!"

Sakura looked at Amy's hand. "Yeah, it looks pretty bad… hey, wait." She glanced at Vasago, and then began to whisper to her companion. "Didn't he say normal traps? And normal magics? Then do you think…?"

"Yeah, you're right!" Amy turned back to the playing field. "I lay one card face down and one monster as well. That's it."

Gaia placed a monster face down, and then the Chimera went forward.

"You've destroyed my UFO Turtle," Amy announced. (1400/1200) "Since it was destroyed in battle, I can special summon a Fire Main-Type with 1500 attack or less, so I get another Big Bangirl."

As the Dragon Warrior went at her, it was suddenly halted as Amy flipped over her face down card.

"I activate Gravity Bind, which means that no monster that is level four or above can attack. And your Dragon Warrior can't stop it, now can he?"

"What? Why wouldn't he be able to?" Kazel inquired.

"He can only stop normal traps, while Gravity Bind is a permanent trap," Amy explained.

_True. You have found the flaw in this strategy._

"Then it should be my turn," Amy said. "I lay one monster in defense mode and one card face down. I also switch Big Bangirl to defense mode."

Gaia began by flipping over his face down monster.

_Material Supplier._(1300/800) _Its reverse effect allows Gaia to choose two monsters in his Cemetery that were put there due to fusing and add them to his hand. _

Then he summoned one that Amy did not recognize. Seeing her confusion, Vasago explained.

_Border Wiseman._(1600/800) _Quite a decent amount of attack power for a level three monster, wouldn't you say?_

"He's level three?" Amy yelped.

The statement was confirmed when the Wiseman obliterated her Big Bangirl.

Seeing that Gaia was done, she nervously drew. "I need something good, or that Wiseman alone will kill us… oh, good! This will be perfect! I play Theft, to take control of your Chimera!"

"Baltar cannot negate that, can he?" Kisara asked.

"Nope. Normal magic cards and equip magic cards are two different things. So now, your Chimera is mine. But that's not even the best part. Normally, you would gain 1000 Life Points during each of your standby phases. But that's why I have this permanent trap, Drug Reaction! Now instead of normally gaining Life Points, you will lose them! Now the question is, can you find a way to stop it in five turns? Actually, you probably won't even have that long, seeing as I have many cards that can take your Life Points down even more. I end my turn."

Despite her words, Amy was still nervous. She knew that if Gaia had any kind of magic or trap removal, namely Tempest, then she was doomed.

Amy: 6600

Gaia Axe: 3200

Luckily for her, Gaia Axe did not seem to have anything that could help him. He did nothing, and Amy assumed he was passing.

"I first play Rich Goblin. I draw one card and you gain 1000 Life Points… or, in this case, lose 1000 Life Points, due to Drug Reaction."

Vasago glanced at Gaia Axe, but he did nothing to stop it.

Amy: 6600

Gaia Axe: 2200

_Thank everything he's an idiot, or else he would have negated it, _Amy thought before speaking. "Alright! If I can just draw what I need to next turn, then I've won… I lay one card down and end my turn."

Amy: 6600

Gaia Axe: 1200

Again, Gaia passed. Amy's breathing became a bit easier, but she was still tense, praying she would draw the card she needed to end the duel.

"…Yes! I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn!"

Amy: 6600

Gaia Axe: 200

Gaia finally made a move. He played a magic card, causing another windstorm to come up. But this was not Cyclone; Amy recognized it to be Tempest.

"Nice try," Amy smirked. "But not good enough. I chain your Tempest with my trap card, Cease Fire Treaty! This trap card flips over all face down monsters on the field, including my Burning Weeds. (500/1500) More importantly though, it does 500 damage to you for each effect monster on the field! And you can't stop it with Dragon Warrior since you don't have enough Life Points. So… can you say overkill much?"

Amy: 6600

Gaia Axe: 0

Gaia watched as the monsters faded away, blinking stupidly at his Life Point counter. Then he suddenly lunged at Amy, axe coming down at her.

Shocked at the sudden attack, she froze. But Sakura reacted instantly, and crashed into her, sending them both flying out of the way. His axe hit the ground heavily, causing the ground to shake once more. Kisara grabbed onto Kazel's leg to keep herself upright, but Amy and Sakura, shaken by their sudden fall, could not even try to rise. Gaia brought up his axe as Vasago rushed towards Amy and Sakura. Much faster than Gaia was, it seemed he would not have any problems killing the stunned pair.

Intent on his target, Vasago ignored the other two in the room. But as he heard something coming towards him, he looked up.

He only had time to see the fireball for one second before it engulfed him, the explosion killing him instantly.

Kazel gave a mental sigh of relief that her guess had been correct; even though he looked intimidating, he was pathetic when it came to physical fights. But Gaia would certainly not fall as easily. She knew she had to try though, and spat another fireball at him.

Gaia crashed right through it, unfazed by his Soul Monster's death nor the extreme heat as his axe came up. Amy and Sakura looked up, and watched helplessly as the weapon began to come down.

But before they could blink, something appeared behind Gaia, grabbing him. The normally invincible golden armor, which would have easily held up to anything, was already weakened by several fire blasts; it was not at all difficult for the monster to tear him apart.

Amy stared in horror, paralyzed as blood came flying from Gaia as he was torn apart. Sakura quickly covered her with her own body though, determined to protect her from the new foe.

But as the mangled corpse of Gaia was flung away, the seven foot monster made no threatening moves. Kazel crouched down, ready to spring if necessary, but knowing that she wouldn't be able to stand up to it.

"Alright, enough Masque!"

Masque vanished, leaving a new person there. Amy looked up hesitatingly, and stood up as she saw who it was.

"Matt?"

To be continued…


	6. Combined Forces

This chapter was a nice change in pace. I hated writing last chapter, if I hadn't used Vasago like I did I don't know how I would have pulled that off… Thankfully, all the other Mavericks are smart enough to duel somewhat well, so there will be no more problems like Gaia.

Erestor Telemnar: I can't say I feel sorry for Tundra, because she's one of my least favorite Mavericks. Hence why she was the one to teach Gaia. Muahahahaha. And I looked at your story, so far it's coming along wonderfully! I fully recommend that everyone here should check it out; I see John and DarkFictionWizard already did.

John: I'm glad you liked the duel; it was a hard one to make interesting.

Captain Obvious: Probably. Funny how Gaia of all people ended up with such a complicated deck, huh? Maybe Juno made a mistake in the order of handing them out!

**Chapter 6: Combined Forces**

"Yeah, it's me. You guys ok?" Matt asked as he stepped inside the temple, the door closing behind him.

"We wouldn't have been if it hadn't been for you," Sakura said, standing up as well. "Thanks for the assistance."

"No problem." He looked over at Kisara. "Is this Draken's girlfriend?"

Kisara blushed as Kazel snorted in amusement. "It seems that you can't escape your legacy."

"They say they aren't boyfriend and girlfriend… but it's obvious they're at least going in that direction," Amy joked. "Her name is Kisara, and her Soul Monster is Kazel."

"A Red Eyes Black Dragon? I'm surprised you couldn't kill that guy by yourself," Matt commented, eyeing Gaia's corpse in disgust.

Kazel went over to it, grabbing it by its armor with her teeth. Then she went over to the doors, which opened automatically, and tossed it outside, where it went flying several feet away from the temple.

"Out of sight, out of mind," Kazel stated, coming back into the temple as though nothing had happened. "As for what you thought of him, just know that he had amazing endurance and that his armor was incredible. He was no ordinary human."

"We were lucky you had come by," Amy said. "Even after I beat him in a duel, he was more than ready to kill us. But your Soul Monster… he was just unbelievable!"

"He's a Masked Beast Death Guardius, but he's called Masque." Matt sighed. "A Soul Monster that doesn't have a soul… somewhat strange, huh? But I'm serious, he has no personality whatsoever, and exists only to take orders. Well, enough of that cheery subject. What are you guys doing here?"

"Why don't we sit down?" Amy suggested, going over to the back of the room and doing so, leaning against the wall. "This might take a while to explain."

"Alright," Matt shrugged, following suit.

Amy told him everything they knew about the Emissaries, Limiters, and Mavericks. Matt remained silent until she was done.

"So, Larka's a Limiter? Interesting. And this Gaia Axe was a Maverick? Just how many are there?"

"At least two, since we've run into Dark Scythe and Gaia Axe," Sakura replied. "But I'm sure there are more. The problem is, we don't know how many."

"You said Max and Hope went to the forest?" Matt inquired.

"Yes. Why?"

"I was trying to find Max, but if he's there then I probably won't be able to find him today," Matt explained. "I'll stick with you guys until tomorrow and tell him what I need to at the meeting place."

"What did you want to say to him?" Kazel questioned.

"It's Brandi. She's been getting worse," Matt said grimly. "Her temperature has been rising… it was 102.9 last time I was there."

"Will she be ok?" Kisara asked worriedly.

"I don't know… but I thought Max should be aware of what was happening."

"It's getting late outside," Kazel stated. "So you're right, you really don't have any chance of finding him tonight. But I can give you a lift tomorrow with everyone else so you can find him then."

"Thanks, that'd help." Matt looked around the temple, seeing the bloody pictures. "Are we planning on spending the night here?"

"I for one would prefer being outside," Amy said. "But that really isn't an option-who knows how many Mavericks could be in this area? We'd be safer in here."

"Unfortunately," Sakura sighed.

"Unpleasant, but we'll live," Matt said. "You think we should call it a night soon?"

"Probably," Amy agreed. "I can't think of anything else we need to do…"

Kazel suddenly stood up, ears perked. "Actually, we have one more task."

"What would that be?" Matt asked.

"We have visitors," Kazel announced. "We must give them a welcome."

As she said that, the door flew open, and two people stepped inside, the door shutting again as they did.

The two of them wore long, black trench coats with silver zippers going down the front. They also had hoods that were down, so only their faces were revealed. Their faces looked very similar, as did their hair. Both of their hair was spiked, almost like dreadlocks but not quite. The one to the left had black hair with red streaks while the one on the right had black with yellow streaks. The one on the left had red eyes, while the one on the right had blue. Otherwise, they were pretty much identical.

The one on the left looked over them, and shook his head. "Looks like the Limiter isn't here."

"You're with Juno?" Amy asked, leaping up. Sakura summoned her staff to her hands as Kazel stepped forward, teeth bared.

"Juno? Completely wrong," he replied. "We're with Sarius, but that doesn't make your situation any better. Remember that Sarius wants that Limiter as well, and if we have to kill her friends to get to her, we'll do just that."

The other one glared at him. "You know Sarius' orders as well as I do…"

"Yeah, yeah, complain to someone who cares," the first said. "Fine, if it makes you feel better, I won't make any sudden moves without asking you first."

"Who are you two?" Matt asked as he went forward.

"I'm Mach, and he's Shadow," the second one said. "We usually do missions together, and this one is no exception. If there is a way we could duel you at the same time, we would prefer to."

"A tag team duel? I'm up for that," Matt said, turning on his Duel Disk. "Which one of you wants to join me?"

"Let me," Kisara replied.

"You sure?" Amy asked, surprised that she had volunteered.

"You already dueled. You shouldn't have to do so again," Kisara said.

"My wing may not be completely pain-free yet, but I'm more than ready to help out," Kazel stated, coming up next to Kisara as she also prepared her Duel Disk.

"Then we get to be the cheerleaders," Sakura joked.

Masque appeared, and the duo's Soul Monsters did as well. Shadow's was a humanoid male. He had on a white shirt with no sleeves and long white pants. On each of his hands was a gold, white, and blue fingerless glove that covered his wrists as well. Further up his arms was a gold armlet. He had a royal blue cape on too. His face was concealed by the gold hood that he wore. His clothes seemed to be an Egyptian style.

Mach's had a human structure but did not really look like one. It wore black armor with silver designs that covered its whole body. The only difference in this was on the lower portion, where there was a large red jewel. On both of its arms were what appeared to be another piece of armor. However, the left one was a shield, and the right was a blade. It also had a helmet with a jewel that was smaller, but the same color as the other one. Its eyes were red.

"Due to our lack of knowledge on the monsters in this game, could you please explain what yours are?" Mach requested.

"If you do the same for us. Mine is a Masked Beast Death Guardius, call him Masque. Hers is a Red Eyes Black Dragon who goes by Kazel. I'm Matt, and she's Kisara."

"Mine is a Servant of Horus named Ishbal, and Mach's is an Iron Knight Gear Freed that is called Elric," Shadow explained. "Let's get on with it, shall we?"

Kisara: 8000

Matt: 8000

Shadow: 8000

Mach: 8000

"May I go first?" Kisara asked.

"We don't care," Shadow shrugged.

"I summon Doublecoston. (1700/1650) Then I lay one card down and end my turn."

Shadow raised an eyebrow at the ugly, snickering monsters. "Not something I'd expect a girl to be playing, but ok. I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"I summon Red Cyclops. (1800/1700) That's it for me," Matt stated.

"I lay a monster in defense mode as well, along with two more cards," Mach said.

"I switch Doublecoston to defense mode and then summon Spear Dragon," (1900/0) Kisara announced. "It attacks your monster Shadow."

"What!" Shadow looked at his monster and swore. "My own Spear Dragon. And due to its effect, which does damage even if I'm in defense mode, I've lost a major amount of Life Points…"

"You put a Spear Dragon in defense mode? How dense are you?" Sakura said in disbelief.

"Hey, I'm new at this, ok?" Shadow snapped. "I didn't expect her to have one as well."

Kisara: 8000

Matt: 8000

Shadow: 6100

Mach: 8000

"Still, it works in my favor," Shadow stated. "I'll take this opportunity to summon Black Flare Dragon of Horus Lv 4! (1600/1000) It attacks your Spear Dragon. Since it had to go into defense mode after attacking, it doesn't stand a chance. I don't think you will stop me?"

"I will not stop it," Kisara agreed.

"Then I lay one card down and end my turn. That triggers my Horus' effect. Since it destroyed a monster on your field, I can sacrifice it to bring out its next form from my deck."

The small silver dragon vanished, being replaced with a much larger one.

"This is Black Flare Dragon of Horus Lv 6. (2300/1600) Now go ahead, Matt."

"My pleasure," Matt said. "I switch Red Cyclops to defense and lay one other monster in defense mode. I also lay a card face down, and then I'm done."

"I'll flip over my Craftsman Kotetsu," (500/500) Mach began. "His reverse effect lets me search my deck for an equip magic card and put it into my hand, and shuffle my deck afterwards. Then I summon Iron Knight Gear Freed. (1800/1600) He attacks Kisara's Doublecoston!"

"I activate Emissary of Harmony in response," she said. "This trap makes you do zero damage this turn through battle, so my Doublecoston survives."

"Then I'm done."

"I needed it for this turn," Kisara explained. "Now I can sacrifice it to summon my Red Eyes Black Dragon." (2400/2000)

"But a Red Eyes costs two sacrifices," Amy pointed out.

"My Doublecoston counts as two sacrifices when it is for a Dark Main-Type. I'll have Red Eyes Black Dragon attack your Horus."

"Sorry, I can't let you," Shadow responded. "I activate Magic Cylinder, negating your attack and dealing damage equal to your monster's attack."

Kisara: 5600

Matt: 8000

Shadow: 6100

Mach: 8000

"I lay one card down and end my turn..."

"Then it's time for this Horus to have his moment of fun," Shadow said. "He attacks Red Cyclops."

"Not a smart idea," Matt stated. "Because that triggers Masque's Deck Master ability! If a monster destroys one of mine in battle, and it's a higher level, then it's destroyed!

As the mask went flying at Horus, Ishbal suddenly began chanting something under his breath, clapping his hands together. A white barrier appeared around Horus, and the mask was destroyed when it hit it.

"Ishbal's Deck Master ability prevents you from using cheap tricks like that," Shadow smirked. "If that is all, I will end my turn, and Horus' effect activates once more. This Horus has the same one as my Lv 4 had; now he will become his final form."

Everyone stared at the new dragon that formed. With immense silver wings, a huge glimmering silver body, and large, dagger-sharp claws, it was certainly an intimidating sight.

"This is Black Flare Dragon of Horus Lv 8. (3000/1800) Let's see if either of you have anything that can compare to him."

"Sure, I can overpower him," Matt said. "I activate my trap card, Avatar of Apophis! When activated, it becomes a monster. (1600/1800) Then I sacrifice it, along with my face down Melkid Four-Faced Beast, (1500/1200) to special summon Masked Beast Death Guardius! (3300/2500) He attacks Horus!"

"Looks like you forgot about me!" Mach grinned. "I activate Chained Dynamite! This trap becomes an equip card onto one monster, and I choose Horus! It raises his attack by 500, meaning your Death Guardius is no match for him!" (3500/1800)

Kisara: 5600

Matt: 7800

Shadow: 6100

Mach: 8000

"I'd normally be a bit more sorry for losing my Death Guardius, but his effect will still help me," Matt stated. "For when he is destroyed, I can equip a Bequeathed Mask onto one of your monsters, so I'll give it to Horus! This means he's now under my control!"

"Not happening," Shadow smirked as the mask went flying towards Horus. The dragon shot a black beam at the mask, obliterating it.

"What? How?"

"Horus can negate and destroy any magic card I wish for him to," Shadow explained. "Care to do anything else?"

"Yeah, I'll lay two cards down and end my turn," Matt said.

"Then it's time I go to work," Mach said. "I play a magic card, Remove Restraints! By sacrificing an Iron Knight Gear Freed, I can search my deck to special summon my most powerful monster; Swordmaster-Naked Gear Freed!" (2600/2200)

This monster looked much more human than Iron Knight Gear Freed had. He wore nothing but a blue loincloth, brown boots, and white bandages around his arms, but even so, he was quite intimidating. Perhaps it was his wild, dark black hair, or his narrowed eyes. The slim blade he carried did not seem very deadly, but they could tell there was more to it than what met the eye.

"And now it's time to give him a power up," Mach continued. "I equip him with The Fused Sword, Murasame Blade! This raises his attack by 800! (3400/2200) But even more importantly, his effect is activated."

"What do you mean?" Matt asked.

The Gear Freed suddenly lunged at the Red Eyes Black Dragon, slicing through it with his now glowing-yellow sword. It was almost too fast for the spectator's to see; all that remained to show of his handy-work was the Red Eyes Black Dragon, which fell apart in pieces before vanishing.

"Whenever I equip something onto him, he destroys one monster on the field," Mach explained. "Now Gear Freed attacks Matt!"

"I'll activate my trap card in response!" Matt declared. "It's my Pole Position!"

"What does that do?" Mach inquired.

"Nothing to you," Matt told him. "But it makes it so that the monster with the highest attack strength can't be affected by magic cards. In this case, it's Horus."

"The only reason that would help is if you were trying to stop Mach from equipping cards onto Horus," Shadow pointed out. "It still seems like a wasteful move."

"That's why I'm going to activate Cyclone on my Pole Position, destroying it!" Matt exclaimed. "Care to stop me Shadow?"

"Um… why the hell would I stop you?" Shadow said sarcastically.

"Then your Horus is doomed," Matt grinned. "When Pole Position is destroyed, the monster with the highest attack is destroyed as well!"

"Ah, clever," Shadow nodded. "Too bad you overlooked one flaw in your plan."

"Huh?"

As the Horus was about to be hit with the blast from Pole Position, Ishbal began chanting once more. A white barrier surrounded Horus, nullifying the blast.

"What? He stops traps too?" Matt said in disbelief.

"Ishbal's Deck Master ability makes it so that the only way Horus can be destroyed is by battle," Shadow said. "Well, you could still send him to my hand, but I doubt you have any cards that can pull that off. A pity, no? Too bad you didn't ask for specifics earlier."

"Damn it…" Matt muttered.

"If that's over with, my Gear Freed's attack will go through," Mach stated.

Kisara: 5600

Matt: 4400

Shadow: 6100

Mach: 8000

"This looks bad…" Sakura murmured.

"It isn't over until it's over," Amy replied. She looked nervous too though.

"It's your turn, Kisara," Mach said.

Kisara looked over her hand, and shook her head. "I can get rid of Gear Freed but that is it…"

"Just go for whatever you think is best. I'll follow up to the best of my ability," Matt assured.

"Alright... I activate my trap card, Cry of the Living Dead. This lets me bring my Red Eyes Black Dragon back to the field in attack mode."

"Then I activate Kazel's Deck Master ability. Ready?"

"Always!" Kazel smirked, eyes flashing. Then she began to glow red, and let out an earth-shaking roar.

The Red Eyes on the field answered her with a screech of its own, and took to the air as Kazel's aura began to flow into it. Then it shot out a powered-up fire blast, smashing into the Naked Gear Freed. It exploded, leaving nothing remaining of the monster whatsoever.

Mach looked at where his monster had been standing moments ago, but still seemed as calm as ever. "What exactly is your Soul Monster's effect?"

"If I have a Red Eyes Black Dragon I can choose to destroy one monster on the field. My Red Eyes Black Dragon cannot attack the same turn though. I lay one more card before ending my turn."

"Not bad, getting rid of Gear Freed," Shadow said. "Too bad you can't do the same for Horus. He'll attack your Red Eyes Black Dragon."

Kisara: 4500

Matt: 4400

Shadow: 6100

Mach: 8000

"I also lay one card. Go on Matt."

"Not much I can do," Matt sighed. "I lay one monster in defense mode and a card of my own as well."

"You may have destroyed Naked Gear Freed, but remember that my whole deck revolves around Gear Freed, like Shadow's revolves around Horus," Mach said. "I play a magic card, Warrior's Return. This allows me to take one Warrior Sub-Type from my Cemetery and put it into my hand, so I will choose Iron Knight Gear Freed. I summon him and activate another Remove Restraints!"

"Another? You're pretty damn lucky," Matt commented.

"Well, I have three in my deck," Mach shrugged. "So that allows me to special summon another Swordmaster-Naked Gear Freed. (2600/2200) Then I'm going to activate Elric's Deck Master ability."

Elric gestured to Horus, who still held the Chained Dynamite. Obediently, the Horus tossed the Chained Dynamite at Matt's monster. It instantly exploded.

"My Cyber Pod… (900/900) What the heck was that?"

"Elric's ability lets me send one of my equip cards to the Cemetery to destroy one of your monsters," Mach explained. "Now I'll attack Matt with my Gear Freed!"

"I activate my trap card in response, Destruction Ring!" Matt said. "I'm taking your monster down with me! It destroys him and deals us all damage equal to his attack!"

"As thrilling as that would be, I won't allow it," Shadow interrupted. "I activate my own trap card, Imperial Control. This negates all trap cards on the field-besides itself, of course."

"So now we're without magic and trap cards," Matt growled.

"Correct," Mach nodded. "Now that he is not being stopped anymore, Gear Freed's attack goes through."

Kisara: 4500

Matt: 1800

Shadow: 6100

Mach: 8000

"Anything you can do?" Matt asked Kisara as she drew.

She shook her head. "I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"Then say goodbye to your pal," Shadow smirked. "I summon Sapphire Dragon. (1900/1600) It attacks your defense monster."

"My Lord of Dragons… (1200/1100)"

"Then Horus does the finishing blow to Matt!"

Another beam of black energy slammed into Matt, causing him to go flying back.

Kisara: 4500

Matt: 0

Shadow: 6100

Mach: 8000

"Are you alright?" Amy asked worriedly, going over to him.

"I've had worse…" Matt muttered, getting up. "My pride's more injured than anything."

"I'd say it's about time we finished this up," Mach said. "I equip Naked Gear Freed with Demon Axe. This raises his attack by 1000! (3600/2200) Then I move Elric to the field. (1800/1600) Gear Freed attacks and Elric finishes you!"

Although Elric was swift, it was still nearly impossible to see Naked Gear Freed's attack. She collapsed as sudden pain spread through her from the two strikes.

Kisara: 0

Matt: 0

Shadow: 6100

Mach: 8000

"Pathetic," Shadow shook his head. "We're mere novices at this game and we beat two who have grown up with it? You really don't deserve to live after that…"

Kazel growled, and Masque hissed softly.

Shadow did not seem concerned with them. "Weaklings, all of you. Shouldn't be a problem to dispose of you…"

"Shadow!" Mach snapped. "You're forgetting our orders again!"

Shadow rolled his eyes. "You and your orders! You have to always follow them right to the dot, don't you? Yeesh, both you and Sarius are too soft…" He glanced at the group. "Thank your lucky stars for Sarius' commands and Mach's absolute obedience. Sarius told us not to kill you if you lost to us first, because we're merely 'testing' you… but don't think you're getting off the hook that easily. You've used up your warning; next time we meet, if we win, you are as good as dead."

Without further adieu, Shadow left, Ishbal vanishing. Elric did so as well, but Mach remained behind for a few more moments.

"Shadow's right, I am a bit too kind-hearted for my own good," Mach laughed. "Ah well… I just wanted to tell you, I'm hoping you win next time. Like he said, I take my orders very seriously, and Sarius said to kill you if you lost a second time. This was decided because if you can't stand up to us, then you have no chance of surviving the trials ahead. Now that you know what to expect, prepare yourselves. Even though I don't want to kill anyone, I will follow Sarius' commands without hesitation. So get ready…" Then Mach exited too, the door shutting once more.

Kazel looked over Kisara worriedly. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," she replied.

"No need to worry due to the shield and all," Matt shrugged, recalling Masque to his Soul Card. "But that was just embarrassing… I can't recall the last time I've lost a game."

"They were really strong for first time players," Amy said. "I don't blame either of you for losing."

"I don't care how strong they were, it's no excuse," Matt stated. "I'm going to have to think this over before we face them again…"

Amy looked over at the door. "I don't think they'll come back tonight, and we really need some rest. You can consider how to improve your chances of winning tomorrow."

"I agree," Kazel said. "Nothing will come out of worrying over it."

"I guess so," Matt sighed. "But still, I'm not tired… how about I take first watch while the rest of you get some sleep?"

"I'll take the second one, and Kisara can be last," Amy volunteered.

"You're sure?" Kisara asked.

"I don't mind, I often wake up in the middle of the night due to sleepwalking," Amy said. "Speaking of which, have you ever heard that joke about what writing utensil people use when they're asleep?"

"Sure, crayons," Matt replied. "I always thought that was stupid."

"It is, because it is markers! One time, when I was spending the night at Hope's house, I woke up in the middle of the night to find myself at the bottom of their stairs with a marker in my hand."

"Um… that's unique…" Kisara blinked.

"Don't mind her, she gets pretty worked up over some of the simplest issues," Sakura joked.

"I'd resent that, except that it's true," Amy said. "Anyway, good night."

"Same to you," Matt said, walking outside.

Soon the four inside were fast asleep, while Matt sat outside on the steps, looking through his deck. For despite what Amy said, he wanted to be ready for their next encounter as soon as possible.

To be continued…


	7. Illusion of Treachery

My dad visited this weekend, so I didn't get to write much. But now that the holiday is over and such, I am back on track!

Erestor Telemnar: Yep, it was pretty one-sided. Shadow and Mach work very well together, as you can see. As for your guess, good one! It looks like you at least have caught onto my pattern.

John: You're looking at a past ban list. The bans have changed so that they are now playable. This was told to the group in the month that we did not get to see, in case you're wondering. On a side note, the ban list will soon be upgraded again, but I will probably not make note of it except maybe in the author's note.

Captain Obvious: Ok. Not much else to say.

Demon Fan: Thanks.

**Chapter 7: Illusion of Treachery**

The walk through the forest was completely silent for the trio. Max did not seem to be in a talking mood, and Hope did not want to press him. Gaston was tense enough with the idea that a Maverick might already be somewhere nearby, and the uncomfortable atmosphere did not help. He kept nervously fingering his sword hilt as they walked among the trees.

A few hours passed, and still they had come across nothing. Hope was getting somewhat concerned about Max at this point. He had still said nothing; Gaston had attempted a few conversations and she had responded, but they had not lasted long. But despite this, he had not said one thing since they had left the others.

She finally forced herself to speak. "Max? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he replied, not turning back.  
Hope was not convinced. "Max?"

"I said I'm fine!" he spat, turning back and glaring at her.

She stopped, shocked at the exclamation, and could not think of anything to say. Gaston, on the other hand, returned his gaze steadily. "She was just concerned for you. To be honest, I am too. You really haven't been acting like yourself. Actually, you haven't been for a long time, ever since Thanatos showed up. Are you sure nothing's bothering you? We're here to help you, so if something's wrong, tell us."

"Didn't you hear what I said? Nothing's wrong. Now can we just keep going to try and find one of those Mavericks?" Max said, turning away again.

"But Max…" Hope went up beside him, grasping his shoulder. "I can tell that you're being troubled by something. The reason I went to stay at your condo is that I am concerned for you and this new personality of yours. I… I know you may not feel the same way about me as I do for you. But I care about you Max, and I want to hear about what is troubling you. Please tell me!"

"…Fine," Max said. "Hope… it's just that… ok, you say you love me. And… in truth… I do too…"

Hope felt her heart begin to pound even faster than it already had been. _Is this true? Has he really felt the same as me?_

Gaston watched silently, knowing better than to interfere.

"But…" Max shook his head. "You're wrong to love me Hope."

"What? Why?" Hope asked, eyes burning with suppressed emotions.

"You know what I am," Max said, looking straight at her. "You've seen who I really am. When Thanatos came… was that really another being, or was it me? I've hurt you, and I will continue to hurt you if you stand beside me. You must give up this line of thought, for your own sake."

"That's ridiculous!" Hope exclaimed. "Max… I knew, from when I first said it, that admitting what I felt would lead to hard times ahead. But I told myself that no matter what, I'd go through them, if only to be with you. It doesn't matter what you think of yourself… I know the real you, and that's who I love! This has nothing to do about what you do or don't deserve; if we love each other, then why must you distance yourself?"

"Like I said, I've already hurt you before," Max said, looking away. "And I'll do it again. That's all there is to it."

Before Hope could respond, a familiar voice spoke up. "I think you are talking about the wrong person."

They spun around, Max and Gaston stepping in front of Hope as the figure emerged from the trees.

Hope paled at the sight of Dark Scythe once more. As terrifying as he had been before, she was still not prepared for him this time.

Even Max and Gaston looked shaken, but neither backed down.

"What did you mean by that?" Max growled.

"You, cause her pain? Your views are so flawed…" Dark Scythe smirked. "Tell you what. If you win, you can go on thinking those blissful thoughts, but if you lose, I shall open your eyes to the truth. Of course, the truth will lead to your death… but at least you will know, right?"

"Shut up," Max snarled, turning on his Duel Disk. "I don't need you to show me anything!"

"In the end, you will thank me for it." Dark took out his Soul Card, and a horrifying monster appeared before them. It was a brown skeleton-like creature that wore a navy-blue and gold joker's outfit. It even had a hat to match, with a blue bell hanging from each of the two points on the hat. There were two blue bells around its neck as well that hung down its front. Wrapped around its claw-like fingers were red strings that glowed with a deadly energy. It had glowing red eyes to top off its fearsome appearance.

Hope took a step back as Gaston held up his sword for a moment longer. Seeing the monster had no intentions of attacking, he reluctantly sheathed his weapon.

"This Soul Monster is a Controller of Spirits-Puppetmaster," Dark Scythe explained. "But he is known as Kankarou. How about you?"

"I don't have one," Max said.

"Hm… interesting," Dark sneered.

"Just get on with the duel!" Max growled, glaring at him before drawing his first five cards.

As Dark did the same, he concentrated on Max. _That strange power is still here, but weak… if I can beat him in a duel, perhaps it can be unlocked. For the losing conditions… heh… they should completely overpower this feeble-minded boy._

Max: 8000

Dark Scythe: 8000

"Since you're wasting time, I'll make the first move," Max declared. "I lay one monster in defense mode and three cards down. That's all."

"I lay one monster as well, along with four more cards. Go ahead," Dark said.

"Four? That's ridiculous!" Gaston exclaimed.

Max seemed a bit startled by the large amount of magic or trap cards, but it did not stop him. "Gladly. I flip summon my face down monster, X-E-N-O. (200/100) His reverse effect allows me to take control of one of your monsters, so your face down monster is now mine!"

Dark Scythe laughed at that. "I don't know why you'd want it, but if you're so desperate, then by all means, take it!" He tossed the card over to Max.

Max gave it a look of disgust before flipping it face up. "What the hell is a Wicked God of a Thousand Eyes (0/0) doing in your deck?"

"I remember that card!" Hope said. "Diablos used it… and he played a Sacrifice deck. I think he used it to help him get Thousand Eyes Sacrifice out with Metamorphosis."

"It can be used to fuse Thousand Eyes Sacrifice with Sacrifice," Max told her. "So is that the case? Are you trying to use Thousand Eyes Sacrifice?"

"No," Dark replied. "I have Wicked God of a Thousand Eyes for another reason. Unfortunately for you, the reason will not be apparent until it is too late."

"What a waste of an effect," Max sighed. "Oh well. I summon Gil Gars (1800/1200) and attack you directly with both X-E-N-O and Gil Gars."

Max: 8000

Dark Scythe: 6000

"I end my turn, and you get your Wicked God back," Max finished.

"You just don't know how perfect this is," Dark smirked. "It is time to show you my deck's true power. First, I will sacrifice your X-E-N-O and Gil Gars for Lava Golem!" (3000/2500)

Max instantly found himself in a flaming cage. He looked up to see the fiery creature, and although somewhat intimidated, he did not show it. But for Hope and Gaston, it brought back the memory of when Max had amnesia and had faced Madura and Lavos. The way that match had gone did nothing to reassure them.

"How can you sacrifice my monsters to summon your own?" Max asked.

"Lava Golem is a unique monster in this aspect," Dark explained. "I sacrifice your monsters to summon him, but he is summoned to your side of the field."

"Why would you give me such a powerful monster?"

"Lava Golem does have an effect that deals 1000 damage to you for each of your standby phases, but that isn't really what I am after," Dark said. "I am going to attack Lava Golem with my Wicked God!"

Max watched, stunned, as the Wicked God was wiped out by the Lava Golem. Hope was able to find her voice though. "Why? Even if Dark was new to this game, I don't think he is stupid enough to do that for no reason!"

"He's up to something…" Gaston muttered.

Max: 8000

Dark Scythe: 3000

"You've just taken 3000 damage for nothing. Your Wicked God didn't have any effect, and Lava Golem won't help you out in any way through that," Max pointed out.

Dark flipped over a card that was face down. "But I do have this, the key to your defeat. It is my instant magic card, Hell Tempest!"

"What does that do?" Max asked.

"I think I will begin this explanation with how it is activated," Dark said. "It can only be activated when I lose 3000 Life Points due to battle. But even though the cost is steep, the result is devastating. It removes every monster card from our decks and Cemetery from the game."

"That can't be!" Gaston protested. "Without monsters, Max has no way of winning!"

"Which is why he should have brought some cards to bring back monsters removed from play, or some direct damage magic and traps," Dark sneered. "Of course, he still has Lava Golem and monsters in his hand, but they won't make a difference. I activate my trap card, Forced Ejection Machine. It sends one monster on the field to its owner's hand, so Lava Golem comes back to me."

As the cage vanished, Max fell back to the ground, but landed on his feet easily. Although shaken by the card's effects, Max was not ready to give up just yet. Not only that, but he had seen one large flaw in Dark's plans. "I don't see how this benefits you. You lost all of your monsters as well."

"That I did," Dark agreed. "But they were removed from play, which is exactly where it is easiest to retrieve them. For now I activate my trap card, Return From the Twilight Zone. This allows me to special summon as many of my monsters that have been removed from the game as I can until the end of my turn. So I special summon three Raremetal Dragons, (2400/1200) and two Red Lotus Beasts, Da Iiza. (?) My Iizas' stats are focused on how many of my cards are removed from the game; their stats are 400 times the amount of my cards removed. Since I have thirteen removed, that means their stats are raised to 5200! (5200/5200) "

"That combo… it's way too devastating!" Hope said. "There has to be a catch!"

"Well, Return From the Twilight Zone usually costs me half of my Life Points," Dark responded. "But Kankarou solves that problem. His Deck Master ability makes it so that I do not have to pay any Life Points to special summon monsters. Quite fitting, if I do say so myself. Now, I will have my Raremetal Dragons and Iizas kill you in one blow!"

"Think again," Max growled. "I activate Holy Life Barrier! By discarding my Early Burial, all damage you do to me this turn becomes zero!"

"You think you can stay alive with such simple tricks?" Dark laughed. "I'm afraid I will have to show you reality. I activate Imperial Control! This negates all trap cards besides itself, so your Holy Life Barrier does nothing!"

Max looked over his hand, and then up at the monsters coming forward. "That's it then. You've won."

"What? You can't do anything?" Gaston said.

"Nothing… it's over for me…" Max replied, watching as all five monsters sprung at him.

"Max!" Hope cried, stepping forward but realizing she could do nothing as the attacks hit Max dead on, sending him flying into a tree behind him.

Max: 0

Dark Scythe: 3000

"So that's it, huh?" Max said, standing up slowly. "You're going to kill me now?"

Hope watched the scene unfold, hardly daring to breathe. Gaston grasped his sword hilt but did not draw it, afraid of provoking Dark.

"Me, kill you? No, not I; all I will do is show you the truth," Dark told him. "As for who will be your executioner… you will see for yourself."

Then Dark made the same gesture as he had made the first time they had met, bringing forth his scythe. After a quick, complex sequence of twirls, he pointed it at Max.

Hope and Gaston waited, tense, but nothing happened. Dark remained still as a statue, his scythe still pointing at Max, while Max remained motionless as well.

But even though Hope and Gaston did not see anything occurring, Max was viewing a far different sight. One moment before, he had been standing in the woods, gazing at Dark. Now he found himself in one of the most disorienting places he had ever been in. The whole area was black, empty space, much like the area they had found Alene in. The only area that wasn't just blackness was where Max was, which was bathed in light, such as a spotlight would create. But what disturbed Max was that he was bound upon a cross of some sort.

"What is this?" he muttered, looking at the bindings.

Then two more lights came on. He looked up and saw Hope in one, with Gaston in the other.

"Hope? What's going on?" he asked, but trailed off as he saw the expression in her eyes. Those normally innocent blue eyes now gleamed with a fierce expression that spoke of a lust for pain, and a joy for the suffering others would experience.

Hope lifted up her bow, an arrow in place. "Since you could not understand from subtle hints, I am showing you what I am doing to you in this manner."

"What?"

Before he could continue, she released the arrow. It struck him in the chest, causing him to cry out in pain. But before he could recover, Gaston lunged forward, slicing into him deeply in the same area before jumping back over to Hope. As he looked up, Max could see that his eyes held the same look as Hope's.

"Hope… Gaston… why?" Max managed to say.

"You still don't get it?" Hope loosened another arrow, which hit his right hand. Gaston cut into his chest once more as she continued to explain. "It's simple. All the time we've known each other, I've been working on making your life even worse than it already was. You've suffered before, so you were such an easy target. Pain, anger, despair… how it pierces me, but how I love to accept that agony! Your emotions continue to grow, and I continue to feed off them. You thought I loved you? Quit blinding yourself! I only said that so I could get closer to you, to toy with your emotions even more, so that you could easily be broken!"

"That… that can't be…" Max said softly.

"See? Even now, when the truth is right in front of you, you deny it!" Another arrow buried itself into Max's chest. "But you cannot say you do not feel this pain that I am bringing!"

Max closed his eyes as Gaston stabbed him again. After getting a hold on himself, he spoke again. "I still… can't believe… this…"

"And why not?"

Max looked over to his left to see Dark standing in another spotlight, his scythe at his side. Hope and Gaston did not seem to notice him; perhaps they could not even see or hear him.

Max winced as another arrow and slash connected. "What do you mean?"

"Think about it. Who got you into all of these problems in the first place? If you had never met Hope, would you be where you are today?" Dark sneered.

Another two hits caused more blood to spill, reinforcing the claims.

"But Rue was there as well…" Max pointed out, but it was a feeble argument. He felt something boiling within him… something more than hurt from this betrayal.

"At Hope's insistence. In truth, she has taken everyone into this agonizing adventure," Dark said. "But you are the one she has affected the most. She pretends to love you while exposing your emotions, and then using them to tear into you. I said I would open your eyes to the truth, and I have. Hope will continue to torture you, as will her Soul Monster, until you finally die from it. And that day is a very, very long ways away. All because you trusted her… what a foolish mistake, eh?"

More pain coursed through him as another arrow struck. But something else came with it. Now Max felt the anger within him going beyond his control.

"…So she was against me all along, like everyone else," Max growled, his voice rising with every word. "Then no more! I have had enough of being controlled! I will be nobody's puppet! I am my own master!"

The area around him began to crack, and then suddenly shattered. Max found himself standing in the forest, the pain completely gone and no wounds to show for his experience.

Dark, who was still standing in front of him, lowered his scythe. But Max did not care about Dark at the moment. His hatred at Hope was increasing, and he did nothing to stop the power he felt coursing through him.

_You will be nobody's puppet? How ironic that you have just become mine,_ Dark smirked. _Now that the power is coming into play, I think I will take my leave. I would rather see how strong this is from a distance than up close._

Kankarou, sensing Dark's intentions, vanished into his Soul Card. Dark looked over at Hope and Gaston. "Farewell, for now. I doubt we will have the chance to meet again though." Then he walked out of the clearing.

Hope watched him go before running over to Max, who was still standing still. "Max! Are you alright?"

For a second, he remained where he was. Then he suddenly spun around.

It was so fast that Hope did not understand what had occurred at first. She found herself on the ground, her head hurting terribly as something ran down her face. It took her a second to realize that it was blood.

Although dizzy from the blow, she still heard what Max said next, and the shock it sent through her hurt much more than the injury.

"You manipulating bitch! I'll kill you!"

To be continued…


	8. True Feelings

This is a special chapter indeed, for it is chapter one hundred! To even think that I've reached one hundred chapters… just wow. It's amazing how large this story grew, and so quickly! I thank everyone who has helped me get to this point. This chapter, one I've looked forward to writing for a long time, will hopefully be worthy of being chapter one hundred.

As a side note, I would like to wish Habba a happy birthday!

John: What the… Dark isn't a Jedi! He's more like a puppet master than anything; he likes pulling the strings from the background.

Captain Obvious: Yes, he's in killer mode. And Max in killer mode is not good. And you too? Dark isn't a Jedi dang it!

DarkFictionWizard: Yeah, I've been looking forward to it too. I'm glad that it's finally here. And thanks for setting those guys straight.

**Chapter 8: True Feelings**

Hope lay there, stunned by the blow and what Max had just said.

But Max wasn't going to wait around. He went up to her again, kicking her on her left side. "Get up! I'm not even close to finishing with you yet."

Gaston had frozen at first, being shocked by the turn around of events. Now he lunged at Max though, bringing out his sword. "Max! What do you think you're doing?"

"Stay out of this!" Max snarled, spinning around and grabbing Gaston's wrist. Gaston dropped his sword instantly, wincing at the bone-crushing grip. Before he could react, Max slammed into him, sending him flying into a tree, which fell over as Gaston collapsed.

"Pathetic guardians you have," Max said, kicking aside Gaston's sword. "I'll deal with that traitor later." He went over to Hope, and then began kicking her in her already injured spot several more times. Blinded by agony, she couldn't even bring herself to move.

"So you can deal out pain but you can't take it? What happened to your superior attitude? I thought you were the all-mighty manipulator? Yet you're such a weakling when the truth is uncovered! Sorry, but it looks like you won't be able to fool around with me anymore!" Max set his foot on Hope's neck. "I suppose I could end it quickly by snapping your neck… but would that really be any fun?" He put a slight pressure on it, causing her to gasp in pain. "So frail… not even able to withstand the slightest amount of agony, are you?"

Then Max heard something. He tore his eyes off his victim, but was too late to stop Gaston from hitting him in the side, sending him flying off Hope.

"You're still conscious? I underestimated you," Max growled. "But you don't stand a chance…" Then he punched Gaston in the stomach, causing him to fall to his knees.

Gaston spat out some blood before staggering up again. "H-hope… get out of here while you can…!"

Hope had been halfway between being conscious and unconscious at this point. But his words brought her back to awareness. She managed to rise, and looked over at the two of them. "But… what about you?"

"Don't worry about me! I exist to protect you, remember? And that's what I'm going to do!" Gaston said. "Now go!" Then he charged at Max.

Hope didn't wait to see the outcome. Knowing her Soul Monster was right, she turned and fled through the forest, ignoring the searing pain in her side and head.

Max did not wait for Gaston to make it to him though. He leapt at the swordsman and landed another three hard blows to his chest. This time, when Gaston fell, he did not move.

"Even with his armor, that must have broken a few ribs," Max muttered. Then he began to calmly walk in the direction Hope had fled, taking his time while enjoying the chase. "Now that he will not be bothering me again, I can go back to my main victim."

…..

Hope ran through the forest, tearing through branches without any regards to her safety. The mere scratches were nothing compared to what was coming, after all.

_Max… why is he doing this? _Hope thought frantically as she ran. _He said that Gaston was a traitor… and that I'm a manipulator. What does he mean? Wait… Dark said… that he'd show Max the truth when he lost the duel. Oh God… what did Dark do to him?_

She cast a quick look over her shoulder, and was relieved to see nothing yet. But she could not quell her anxiety. _I hope Gaston will be ok… I know I couldn't have done anything, but still…_

Then she heard a twig snap. But it was from behind her. Hardly daring to breathe, she looked over her shoulder, and saw Max calmly walking towards her. He too disregarded the trees as he approached her.

_He's caught up with me by walking? But… Gaston… what happened to him? No, I can't think about that! I have to save myself before I can worry about finding him! _

She desperately grabbed a card from her deck as she ran, and looked at it. _Thank everything… _Then she inserted it.

Max looked up as he heard something above him, and saw several dots of light descending. Before he could react, the swords stabbed into the earth around him, freezing him in place.

_Sealing Swords of Light… you're merely stalling._

Hope turned and fled once more though. Max waited patiently for a few minutes, until the swords faded away.

"Valiant effort, but you're not the only one with support cards," Max stated, inserting a card of his own. "You can't have run far enough to be out of range for these to hit you."

Hope was still running when she heard a noise above her that was similar to the Sealing Swords of Light. But when they landed around her, she felt her blood run cold.

They were just like the Sealing Swords of Light, except that they were black instead of yellow. Hope had only seen Swords like these once; against Satan.

_How can this be? Did... he become Thanatos again? No, that isn't possible! Thanatos is gone! Then how did Max have these Swords?_

Hope spent a few nervous minutes waiting, listening for the slightest noise. However, when the Swords finally faded, Max had still not appeared.

She continued to run, until she came to a clearing. But there she stopped short, seeing who was already there.

"You can't outrun me," Max stated. "Your Sealing Swords of Light bought you some time, but my Sealing Swords of Darkness made it all for nothing."

_So it's a completely different card altogether…_ Hope realized. _Then those Sealing Swords of Light are just the way Satan's look. At least that means Max isn't completely gone…_

"It was fun, but it ends now. You can't get away." Max walked towards her, eyes flashing menacingly. Hope, frozen in place, could not will herself to move.

But just before he reached her, someone leapt out from the trees, tackling Max. Reacting instinctively, Max punched the new threat, sending him staggering backwards.

"You again!" Max snarled as he recognized Gaston. "Learn to stay down, you damn dog!" Another kick, and Gaston was down again. Once more, he did not move.

"I'm not trusting you this time…" Max muttered, walking over to him. "I suppose I will just have to kill you first, since you refuse to acknowledge your place. When it comes to strength, I am too many tiers above you to even count!"

But before he could strike the swordsman, he heard Hope speak. "Max!"

He turned to face her, but as he did so, she viciously slapped him across the face.

Max blinked, taken by complete surprise by the aggressive move. Then he found his voice again. "What the hell do you think you're trying to pull off? You know that you don't stand a chance at stopping…"

But Hope knew this was her one chance to stop Max, and she knew she had to act now. "I can't believe you Max! Three times you have proved me wrong! Three times! I thought I knew you, but you concealed the personality I like with three others! One of confusion, one of anger, and one of hatred! Yet the you I like you buried away! What happened? Why did you have to feel like this? I wasn't trying to get you to spare my life before! I really meant it when I said I loved you! But not like this! I love the real you, the one thing you have to hide! Now quit listening to your doubts and see the truth, or else you'll find yourself dealing with another broken heart; mine! I can see the darkness around you, so quit trying to cover it up. Now tear apart the shrouds and reveal the light I desire to see!"

Max stared at her, stunned, as he truly listened to what she said for the first time in a long time.

_Now I understand… I was doubtful because of words, just petty words that have no meaning, for the person that said them only wishes harm. Those images… they were false… I believed them because of my natural suspicions. But all this time, I was denying the fact that someone… CARES about me. Someone… loves me… how? Why do I deserve this? What have I done?_

As he realized this, the anger and hatred that had consumed him faded away. But then something else struck him, something just as intense. It was a full blast of pain, and with a cry, he collapsed.

Despite what he had done to her, and what she had just said, Hope was beside him in an instant. "Max?"

Max barely managed to say his response. "I understand… too late…"

"What? Max, what's the matter? Tell me!" she exclaimed, tears clouding her eyes.

Gaston had been watching the whole thing. As he saw what was happening, he forced himself to sit up. "Hope… although I've never seen anything like this… it can only mean one thing; he's dying."

"No! That can't be true! Not now!" Hope sobbed. "Not after all he's gone through!"

But she could not deny what was happening to him. His screams of pain became increasingly more agonizing to hear as Hope watched him helplessly.

"There's nothing we can do…" Gaston whispered sadly.

Hope shook her head, her tears finally falling. "I finally say what I'm feeling, to end in this? I won't let him die now! I love him too much!" Then, ignoring his cries, she grasped his hand.

Suddenly, the orb around her neck began to glow with an intense white light, obscuring everything but three figures: Hope, Max, and Gaston.

"What… is this…?" Hope said, gazing at the area. Then she felt a pulse. She looked down and saw that the orb was shining even more brilliantly than the area around it.

_This power…_ Hope closed her eyes, feeling something course through her. It's_… my soul… the orb's drawing out my soul…_

The orb then flashed. When she did nothing, it flashed again, more insistently.

_I'll do anything! Anything to save Max! I don't know if this will work, but I pray it will!_ Then she brought her hands down over Max's heart.

The white light began to enter Max at a rapid pace, slowly leaving the orb. But that wasn't all. Gaston began to glow as well, and black and white light came out of him, also entering Max. But the energy that came from him quickly faded away, while Hope's lingered.

Finally, the light she supplied began to vanish. However, before it was completely gone, all three of them saw a dark shadow emerge from Max. Before they could make out what it was, it was gone, and they were back in the clearing.

Hope fell to the ground, and lay there. Gaston was unable to stay up either.

Max sat up almost instantly though, looking over at Hope. He was amazed at what had happened. One moment, he had been feeling a terrible pain tearing into him, but now it was completely gone. He felt terribly exhausted, but that was nothing compared to what he had been suffering before.

Despite the relief he felt, he was not about to stay. After what he had done to Hope, he could not bring himself to face her. He quickly got up, turning to run from the clearing.

But then Hope managed to sit up far enough to grab his arm. Her grip was far too tight for him to pull himself away from her, so he looked down at her.

What he saw shocked him. Hope's eyes, normally so bright, were now darkened with pain. He could tell she was barely conscious now, and felt a pang of guilt as he saw the injuries he had inflicted on her.

"Don't… leave…" Hope whispered.

"But what if I hurt you again? Whenever we're together, I end up hurting you somehow!" Max said. "You're much better off without me…"

Hope found it hard to speak, but she forced herself to. "What will we do… if we are attacked? We can't… defend ourselves. I also… want to… talk to you…"

Max gazed at her, and then nodded. "Fine. After what you've done for me… after what I did to you… the only thing I can do is stop running away."

He hesitated for a moment, and then reached down and gently lifted her, avoiding her injured side. Knowing he wouldn't be able to get very far, he went over to a tree in the clearing, sitting down and leaning against it. He tried to shift Hope off of himself, but her death grip had not faltered. So he held onto her.

"Gaston? Are you going to go back into your Soul Card? You seem pretty badly hurt…" Max said, not looking at him.

"I will remain to keep watch," Gaston replied, forcing himself up once more. "Yes… I feel very weakened, and injured… but I would not be able to relax… knowing the two of you are here…"

Max pulled out a few Red Potion cards he had kept nearby and used them, setting two aside for Gaston. The other two he managed to get Hope to drink, healing her wounds somewhat.

"Hm… I still feel pained, but my other injuries will heal now. Thanks," Gaston said, sitting down against a tree close by.

"I was the one who caused them in the first place," Max pointed out.

"Nevertheless…" Gaston closed his eyes. "I must rest for a while, but you do not seem tired. When you grow weary, wake me up."

"Sure," Max nodded.

When he was sure the swordsman was asleep, he looked back at Hope. Her eyes were barely open, and she seemed to be out of it.

"I suppose you'll want to talk later," Max murmured.

But to his surprise, she looked up at him. "No… now…"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes…"

"Then let me ask you something," Max said. "Why do you love me? After all I've done to you, why do you still love me?"

She was silent at first, and then spoke. "Max… as I got to know you… I saw who you really were. The true you… the one you hid away… that is what I have loved all this time. Please… do not try to keep the real you concealed. I want you to be able… to act as your heart… would direct you…"

"But after all I've done…"

"Your life was a terrible one," Hope said softly. "You tried… to hide away… I can see why. But I knew… that with help… you could open up once more." She smiled slightly. "And you did… right now…"

Max tried to sort his thoughts before he responded. "If that's what you want… then I'll tell you what I've been feeling. I can't deny my love for you any longer... I've loved you for a long time, but I never knew it until now. Or maybe I just didn't want to know it…" He closed his eyes. "But I know now what I have been feeling. Despite trying to hide my emotions, you opened them up to me. And although I at first feared you… or maybe I hated you… for what you could do… I also felt love for you." He resumed eye contact so she would know he meant his next words. "So I won't run anymore. I promise that I'll never hurt you again…"

Hope's pained eyes seemed brighter at those words. Then she closed them, feeling herself falling towards unconsciousness. "I know you won't… thank you, for telling me what you felt… and for being here…"

Then she went limp. Alarmed by the sudden change, Max checked her pulse.

"She's just unconscious…" Max said out loud, relieved. Then he looked over at Gaston. "I can't keep awake, but he needs rest too… we have to risk resting without a sentry." He shut his eyes one last time. "I can only hope nothing will happen…"

…..

The woman sat on a large limb, watching the conversation. Soon, she saw that Max had fallen asleep as well.

_First love… how touching. I remember how it felt back then. _She leaned against the trunk. _Well, neither is the Limiter, so why not? I suppose I can stick around to watch over them for a while._

She looked over her deck, and when she was sure it was ready, slid it back into her Duel Disk. Then she settled back to prepare for a long night.

…..

Late that night, Dark was still searching the forest. He had not found any of the trio, and this puzzled him. He had thought for sure Max's power would be like a beacon, but it seemed to have just vanished.

_I'll find him soon enough,_ Dark thought, going on.

After a bit more searching, he suddenly stopped outside a clearing, seeing something. After a second, he silently went in.

He was astonished to see the three that were there. He looked over Max and Hope's sleeping forms, and then at Gaston before turning back to the two others. _How is this possible? He should have killed them… did he somehow throw off my illusion? _

Dark glared at them as he brought his hand forward, his scythe appearing. _Fine then. If I can't control him, I will just have to kill all three. It will be much easier to do it now, while they are asleep…_

Suddenly, a clear barrier appeared in front of Dark, blocking him.

Before he could figure out what had happened, he heard something. Looking behind him, he saw a figure leaping out of a tree.

_One of Tirran's, no doubt,_ Dark thought, irritated at the interruption. But he knew the only way to get to the three group members would be by disposing of the person who was protecting them, so he went after the figure.

After a few minutes, he emerged in a different clearing. The person was standing there, and he instantly recognized who it was.

She wore a black dress that went down to just above her heels. At the neck of it was a red ribbon. Her black shoes matched the dress quite well. She also had white gloves. Her flowing black hair went to her thighs. Her gray eyes, often gentle, were now much harder when she saw Dark come.

"Naraya," Dark greeted. "I should have guessed you of all people would be protecting them."

Naraya, or Aya, as she liked to be called, was not intimidated in the slightest by Dark or the scythe he carried. "As if I would let someone like you take their lives."

"They're technically mine anyway," Dark pointed out. "I defeated the boy in a duel."

"Then you should have killed him when you won," Aya stated. "Now you've lost your chance. You can have another one when they wake up and are able to face you. However, I will not allow you to kill them in their sleep of all things."

"You're too much like your husband," Dark smirked. "But that's all I'd expect from Tirran's wench anyway."

Aya's piercing glare told him he had gone too far. "That's it. I considered letting you have a chance to get away, but not anymore. In accordance to this world's rules, we'll duel. If I win, you're to leave the three of them alone until they awaken once more. If you win, though… I suppose I will have to stand aside."

"If that is what you want," Dark said. "But I will warn you about this much. I have already mastered this card game, while you have probably never played before. Therefore, the conclusion I foresee is that that you will get to watch the ones you tried to protect die while I go on to slay the rest of their companions."

"You always had the bad habit of jumping to conclusions," Aya said dryly, bringing out her Soul Card. A man appeared next to her. He wore a white sleeveless shirt and white shorts. Around each of his bare, muscled arms was one gold armband. He had short blonde hair and brown eyes too. But what were most noticeable were the four large cream-colored wings that emerged from his back.

"This is Sahaqiel. He's a Shine Angel," Aya explained.

"Fitting," Dark commented, bringing out his own Soul Monster. "This is a Controller of Spirits-Puppetmaster, called Kankarou."

"Hmph. It looks like we both have appropriate Soul Monsters," Aya said, turning on her Duel Disk. Dark did the same.

Aya: 8000

Dark Scythe: 8000

"I suppose I will take the first move, since you do not seem to care," Aya told him. "I lay one monster in defense mode, and end my turn."

"My first move will be to summon Chaos Rider, Gustav," (1400/1500) Dark stated. "He attacks your defense monster."

"It's a Shine Angel," (1400/800) Aya said. "Since you destroyed him in battle, his effect is triggered. I get to special summon a Light Main-Type monster that has 1500 attack or less from my deck to the field in face up attack mode. So I choose to bring out my Mokemoke." (300/100)

Dark stared at the creature that appeared in disgust. It was a white monster in the shape of a square. Its legs and arms were very tiny, and on the top of it was a red antenna that was like a question mark. Out of each of the top corners a small yellow wing produced. Its eyes were closed, and it had a bored expression on its face.

"That is your main attacker? I thought you would put up at least a decent challenge," Dark commented.

"It is not wise to underestimate him," Aya replied. "Also, Sahaqiel's Deck Master ability activates. It's basically the same effect as my Shine Angel's, except that it occurs whenever any of my monsters is destroyed in battle. So I bring out another Mokemoke."

"So now you have two useless monsters," Dark smirked. "I'm not impressed. I lay one card down and end my turn."

"I lay another monster in defense mode. That's all," Aya said.

"Alright then… I attack your defense monster with Gustav."

"It's my Cannon Soldier. (1400/1300) With Sahaqiel's effect, I bring out my third and final Mokemoke."

"Like having those will change anything," Dark said. "It's your move."

"It makes all the difference," Aya replied. "Now I summon another Shine Angel. (1400/800) Then I play a permanent magic card: Angered Mokemoke."

"Just what is that supposed to do?" Dark asked.

"When one of my Angel Sub-Types is destroyed, any Mokemoke on my field will have their attacks raised to 3000 until the end of that turn," Aya explained. "So I advise that you think twice before attacking. I end my turn."

Dark looked at the card he had drawn, and could not help but laugh. "It's just too perfect. You've played right into my hand."

Aya glared at him. "What do you mean?"

"First, I summon Wicked God of a Thousand Eyes." (0/0)

"And you criticize me for having weak monsters," Aya sighed.

"But mine serves a very important purpose," Dark said. "I will attack your Shine Angel with Gustav. This causes all of your Mokemoke's attacks to rise to 3000." (3000/100)

The three Mokemoke suddenly turned red, expanding as their faces took on fierce, angry expressions. Their wings unfurled, and the question mark-like antenna turned into an exclamation point.

Dark was not phased in the slightest. "So, what will you special summon with your Shine Angel and Deck Master?"

"Nothing," Aya answered. "I can choose when I want to use that effect, and right now I don't want to."

"Then you've sealed your fate," Dark sneered. "My Wicked God attacks your Mokemoke!"

"Have you finally lost your mind?" Aya asked in astonishment as the Wicked God rushed forward. But the furious Mokemoke leapt into the air and began to brutally pound the life out of the Wicked God. Several painful seconds later, it vanished.

Aya: 8000

Dark Scythe: 5000

"Quite the opposite, for it was a good play," Dark told her. "Now I can activate my Hell Tempest! This instant magic card can only be activated when I take 3000 points of battle damage. It removes all of our monsters from our deck and Cemetery from the game."

"Ah… interesting strategy," Aya commented as she began to remove her monsters. "Too bad I already have all the monsters I need to win."

"We'll see," Dark replied. "I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"I lay one card face down and set one monster," Aya said. "Go ahead."

"I will now I flip summon another Chaos Rider, Gustav. (1400/1500) He attacks one of your Mokemoke."

"I can't let you do that," Aya stated. "I activate Emissary of Harmony so that your monster's attack power does zero damage."

"You are merely stalling," Dark told her. "It's your turn."

"Actually, I don't need to stall anymore," Aya responded as she drew. "I've won the duel."

"Oh? You think you can defeat me with these… pillowcases?" Dark said sarcastically.

"Of course. It's only fitting," Aya replied. "I'll start by flip summoning my Marshmallon." (300/500)

"Another cute yet worthless creature?" Dark said, sounding bored.

"Worthless? You might want to think that over. I play a magic card, Forced Transfer. We each choose a monster on our fields, and swap them. Since you only have Gustav, he's mine. You can have my Marshmallon."

"I'm thrilled," Dark muttered, glaring at it as it smiled innocently back at him.

"Then I summon Magical Scientist. (300/300) I'll explain his purpose in a moment. But first, I will activate another magic card, Fusion! This fuses together my three Mokemoke to form King Mokemoke!" (300/100)

Dark blinked at the titanic Mokemoke that appeared before him. "This is ridiculous…"

"I'm not done yet," Aya grinned. "I pay 1000 Life Points to activate Magical Scientist's effect. This allows me to special summon a level six or lower fusion monster from my Fusion Deck, so I bring out another King Mokemoke!"

Aya: 7000

Dark Scythe: 5000

"Now, before I go on, I should explain Marshmallon's effect," Aya said. "It cannot be destroyed in battle."

"Then why give it to me?" Dark asked.

"So I can do this," Aya replied. "Magical Scientist attacks!"

"But if Marshmallon can't die in battle, then you've just been committing suicide," Dark pointed out.

"True," Aya nodded as she watched her Scientist vanish. "But I needed the room on my field. Now King Mokemoke attacks!"

Dark watched in disgust as the tiny Marshmallon and huge King Mokemoke clashed in a flash of light, leaving only the Marshmallon when it faded. "I can't believe this…"

"Start believing it," Aya responded. "Now, King Mokemoke's effect activates. I can special summon as many Mokemoke as possible from my Cemetery. So I bring out all three. (300/100) Then I attack with my other King Mokemoke!"

As the second King Mokemoke vanished, the Mokemoke's reacted. Their bodies became red once more, and their wings unfolded, with their antenna coming up.

Dark could only stare as he realized what she was doing. "…This cannot be happening."

"Sorry, but it is," Aya said, smiling sweetly. "That's what you get for underestimating them. Now they're all at 3000 attack, and more than ready to kick your ass. (3000/100) They all attack!"

The only good thing was that the Marshmallon blocked most of the attack power. But still, Dark was highly repulsed by it all as the attacks connected.

Aya: 7000

Dark Scythe: 0

"Damn you," Dark growled, shutting off his Duel Disk.

"It's all you deserved after provoking me," Aya told him. "Now, remember our deal and run off like a good boy. Be sure not to come back any time soon either."

Dark gave her one last seething glare. "Mark my words: I will be getting revenge for this."

"Bold words for someone who just lost horribly to a bunch of tofu-like monsters," Aya replied calmly.

There was nothing Dark could say to that. So he walked off, leaving Aya and Sahaqiel alone in the clearing.

"Thanks for the assistance," Aya said. "But I can handle everything else from here."

Sahaqiel nodded, and then vanished.

Aya cast one last glance around the trees before she began to go back over to the trio she had left.

…..

Max's peaceful sleep was suddenly interrupted when he heard something. His eyes flashed open, and he froze, staring at what was in front of him in amazement.

It was morning, so he could see the jackal-like monster clearly. He was at least seven feet tall at the moment, and he was hunched over; Max was sure he'd be easily nine feet or so if he stood up straight. His whole purple, muscled body was covered with fur, but in some sections it was particularly long, such as his thighs, elbows, and neck. The only kind of clothing he wore was a golden, orient Egyptian-style loincloth and a large, elegant red necklace of some kind. Each of his hands had five long, deadly claws that could easily tear just about anything apart. His face was much more like a jackal's than a human's, with a protruding muzzle that was filled with dagger-sharp teeth. His red eyes were focused on Max's, who was still petrified in shock.

Gaston had woken up as well, and had quietly placed his hand over his sword hilt. But he knew that he would never be able to hit the monster before he got to the two companions, so Gaston remained where he was, watching nervously.

Max finally managed to speak. "Who… are you?"

The monster considered the question for a minute before answering. "I am your Soul Monster."

To be continued…


	9. Black Magic Blowout

I actually enjoyed writing this chapter. Usually I prefer story events to duels but both in this chapter were enjoyable. So that was cool. On a side note, this is two days early. You'll understand why I say this if you look at the calendar once you're done reading.

John: How about neither? That'd make me a happy camper.

Captain Obvious: …Right. I'll pretend I understood that. Otherwise, yes, not insulting Aya is a good idea.

Demon Fan: Some of the Mavericks have unusual decks, but I think Dark Scythe's actually fits him.

**Chapter 9: Black Magic Blowout**

Draken was very much enjoying himself as they flew towards the mountains. He never got tired of flying, and loved the fierce winds just as much as Kisara did, if not more. His Blue Eyes White Dragon was excited too, and showed this by playfully diving, and doing a few rolls midair.

Draken and Darche were used to this, and didn't mind it. However, Rue was a completely different story. It was only because Ruecian kept a tight grip on him that he managed to remain on his Blue Eyes.

Holding onto his hat, Rue called over to Draken. "Hey! Can't you tell this thing to stop acting like a roller coaster car?"

"I could, but where would the fun be in that?" Draken shouted back.

"It would be a lot more fun for me if I didn't feel like I was going to fall off any second!" Rue complained.

"Come on, lighten up! It isn't like the Blue Eyes would let you hit the ground."

"No way am I trusting this thing!" Rue declared.

"I'm telling the truth!"

"Sure you are!"

Darche decided to enter the debate. "But he is! Ruecian, give him a chance to see that Draken's being honest!"

Ruecian shrugged, and let go of Rue just as the Blue Eyes did a roll.

"Curse you Draken!" Rue yelled as he fell.

Luckily for Rue, Draken had indeed been sincere. The Blue Eyes flew right beneath him, and Ruecian caught him as he landed.

"See? He may be playful but he'd never let harm actually come to you!" Draken told him before his Blue Eyes put on a sudden burst of speed, to get him away from Rue.

After getting over his shock, Rue leapt to the front of the dragon. "You jerk! I'm so going to get you for that! Blue Eyes, full speed ahead!"

Draken grinned as he heard the command. "I knew that'd get Rue to accept the idea of rough flying. Let's go at full speed too!"

…..

One wild ride later and they had bypassed the mountains altogether, instead diving down towards the foot of the mountains nearby the plains.  
Draken's landed first, and then Rue's. After they all dismounted, Ruecian kept a rather firm grasp on Rue's upper arm so that he would not try to kill Draken.

"Enjoy the trip?" Draken asked innocently.

"You are dead," Rue spat. "Just you wait. If you miraculously survive my attack, then you are going to be begging for me to finish you off. The second Ruecian lets go of me, I am going to tear you apart!"

"I love you too," Draken grinned. "So, shall we begin looking?"

"You don't believe me, huh? Then bring it on! Let's fight it out now!"

…..

Attracted by the yelling, the figure slipped over silently. He looked over at the two teens, two Soul Monsters, and two dragons that were there from his hiding spot amongst the rocks.

His two targets were right in front of a rather large rock formation. Only a few feet away from that rock was the silver-haired one. All of them seemed preoccupied.

"Too easy," he muttered, quietly sneaking over to the rock formation.

…..

"That'd be nice, but we have a Maverick to look for," Draken said. "Amy and Kisara have the mountains covered, so we shouldn't need to go there unless we can't find someone on the plains." He turned to the Blue Eyes. "Thanks you two. You can leave now."

They hissed softly before taking off, flying back to the mountains.

"Fine, I'll kill you later," Rue grumbled. "Ruecian, could you let go of me now?"

Ruecian shook his head.

"Dang it, you know me too well," Rue sighed. Then he looked over at the plains, and froze. "Guys, look out!"

They all turned to see what Rue was looking at. And as they did so, Ruecian instinctively reached for his staff, letting go of Rue.

"YOU'RE GOING DOWN!" Rue yelled, tackling Draken.

But just as he did that, and as the two collapsed, the assassin lunged, his katars aimed at Draken's neck. But he totally missed his target, since Rue had knocked Draken down. Taken by complete surprise, the assassin tripped over the duo, flipping over midair before landing a few feet away from them on his back.

Rue instantly got off of Draken, knowing that their argument would have to wait. Ruecian stepped in front of Rue and Draken, to prevent the assassin from trying to attack again. Darche took the offensive, lunging for him.

The assassin blocked the sword strike with one of his katars, and then leapt back, eyeing them angrily.

The man before them wore a light green shirt, with dark green chest and shoulder armor. His arm and hand guards were also a dark green, but his finger-less gloves were light green. His pants were emerald green, and his boots were armor-like as well, and shared the same dark green his other armor-like pieces had. Across his mouth he wore a light green bandana, causing it to be covered completely. His wild, snow-white hair was kept back with a lime green headband. His eyes, a deep green, were flashing dangerously.

"Someone's a bit too obsessed with the color green," Rue muttered.

"Did St. Patrick's Day get moved to August this year?" Draken joked.

The man looked as though he would have been delighted to be able to slaughter both of them, but he reluctantly let his arms drop, his silver katars going to his sides. "I cannot believe you dodged my attack out of pure luck."

"I'm more than happy to believe it," Draken replied. He looked over at Rue. "Thanks a lot. Even if you were trying to kill me, you ended up saving my life."

"Any time," Rue said, apparently having gotten over what Draken had done to him. He turned back to the assassin. "So you're one of the Mavericks?"

"Yes. I am called Gale Katar." He eyed his Duel Disk in disgust. "I did not want to have to resort to cards, of all things, but now it looks like I have no choice."

"A duel? On what conditions?" Rue asked.

"The winner chooses the loser's fate," Gale stated.

"Deal. So, which of us should duel you?" Draken inquired.

"Preferably neither," Gale growled. "But since there is no other option, I could care less."

Rue looked over him. "You up for it Draken?"

"Heck no. I was hoping you would want to."

"Yeah, and be killed?" Rue shot back. "I'm just as intimated by this guy as you are!"

"That doesn't mean I should have to duel him!"

"I already saved you; it's your turn to save us!"

"Hey, I got us here without dying, so we're square."

"Just choose already!" Gale snapped.

"Yikes! Ok, ok, we will!" Rue assured. "Draken, since we can't decide, how about flipping a coin?"

"I don't have one with me. Any ideas on how to settle this Darche?"

"Rock-paper-scissors?" Darche suggested.

"I really hate you sometimes," Draken told him. "You know I always lose at that!"

"Then each of you should draw a card from your decks and compare their attacks. The one with the lowest attack has to duel him," Darche said.

"Fine by me!" Rue stated, drawing.

"Alright," Draken shrugged, doing the same.

"Now to compare…" Rue looked at his, and then showed it to Draken. "Black Magician."

"Knight of White Dragon," Draken said, revealing it.

"Hah! Looks like you have to face him," Rue said.

"Nope. I use his effect to sacrifice him, special summoning a Blue Eyes White Dragon, which in turn has more attack than your Black Magician, making it so that you have to duel Gale. Tough luck," Draken smirked.

"Drat, you're right… hey, wait a minute!" Rue protested.

"Good! I was hoping to have my chance to kill you, after you made a fool out of me," Gale stated. "Now face me!"

"I was thinking about letting you live, but not any longer!" Rue shouted at Draken as he went to stand in his position, Ruecian by his side.

"Hm… I wonder who I should support," Draken said. "Both of them want to kill me."

"I can sympathize with you when it comes to Gale, but having Rue after your blood is your own fault," Darche pointed out.

"True, but it was worth it," Draken grinned.

Gale eyed Ruecian. "A Black Paladin? Then our two Soul Monsters ought to get along well." He brought out his Soul Card, and the monster emerged. He appeared to be a very old man, with gray hair and a long, matching beard. His eyes were concealed in the shadows of his dark purple curved helmet. His shoulder armor was the same shade of purple, but his chest armor was jade. He wore a long, flowing, dark blue robe that covered the rest of his body entirely, except for his hands, which held a long, black staff embedded with jade gems near the head of it. He sat in a meditative position, floating in midair by Gale's left side.

"He's a Black-Robed Sage, but known as Senin," Gale said.

"Short for senile?" Rue joked.

Senin casually moved his staff to point it at Rue. A wave of black magic, similar to Ruecian's attack, slammed into Rue, causing him to go flying backwards.

Rue painfully got up. "Ouch… guess I deserved that…"

"It means 'one thousand years' in Japanese," Gale stated.

Senin then turned his attention to Ruecian. Ruecian seemed more curious than worried. He stared at Senin, and although they could not see his eyes, the spectators got the feeling he was returning the gaze.

"Figures," Draken commented. "Both of them just happen to be mutes. I wonder if everyone in the Black Magician family is a mute besides Black Magician Girl?"

"Possibly," Darche replied dryly.

Gale gave an impatient sigh. "I don't know what you're doing Senin, but we don't have time to waste with your telepathic communication talks. Hurry up and finish your conversation with his Soul Monster."

"His name is Ruecian," Rue told him. "And what did you say? They're talking telepathically?"

"Senin can talk out loud, but he prefers to talk mind-to-mind," Gale explained.

Senin shifted slightly, and then returned his staff to its former position. Ruecian gave a brief nod and lifted his own staff to its battle position.

"Guess they're finally done," Rue said. "So let's get this over with!"

Rue: 8000

Gale: 8000

"Since you decided to try and assassinate us, I think I have full right to go first," Rue stated.

Gale glared at him but did not say anything.

"Glad you agree with me. I summon Skilled Black Magician (1900/1700) and lay one card down. It's your turn."

"It looks like you're using a Black Magician deck after all," Gale commented. "I lay one monster in defense and end my turn."

"How do you know so much about Black Magician?" Rue asked as he drew. "I thought you had just begun playing. Did Senin tell you or something?"

"Perhaps."

"Looks like you're not going to give me many details," Rue muttered. "I summon Doublecoston. (1700/1650) Then Skilled Black Magician attacks!"

"It is my Holy Elf," (800/2000) Gale smirked.

Rue: 7900

Gale: 8000

"I didn't expect such a high defense monster," Rue sighed. "Oh well. I end my turn."

"I will first play Jar of Greed. Ah, good… it's time to be on the offense," Gale stated. "I summon Skilled Black Magician." (1900/1700)

"What? Don't tell me that…" Rue trailed off as he saw Gale place another card on his Duel Disk.

"Your suspicions will be confirmed now. I play a magic card, Sacrificial Doll. I choose a monster on the field to sacrifice; since Holy Elf is my only choice, I will sacrifice her. In exchange, I get to special summon a level seven monster from my hand. So I special summon Black Magician!" (2500/2100)

"No way!" Rue exclaimed as the Black Magician appeared. Unlike his purple-armored Black Magicians, this one wore dark blue armor. "You play a Black Magician deck too?"

"That's right," Gale said. "Luckily for you, the monster special summoned by Sacrificial Doll can't attack on the same turn he was summoned."

"Yeah, lucky break for me," Rue agreed. "It also gives my Skilled Black Magician a magic counter."

"And mine as well. Then I lay one card down, and my Skilled Black Magician attacks your Doublecoston!"

"In response to your attack, I activate my trap card, Claymore Mine!" Rue said. "It can only be activated when one of your monsters attacks, and destroys one of your monsters. Unfortunately, I don't get to choose which one; the monster with the highest attack on your field is the one that dies. A pity, since I wouldn't have been attacked by him either way, but at least he's out of the way now."

"He will be, but another will take his place," Gale smirked. "Because I will chain onto your Claymore Mine with an instant magic card called Dimension Magic!"

"Dimension Magic?"

"You play a Black Magician deck, yet you've never heard of it? You're even more idiotic than I thought," Gale said.

"You'll never be able to guess how stupid Rue is," Draken grinned. "He's always proving me wrong too, because he just keeps getting worse and worse."

"Some friend you are," Rue muttered.

"Anyway, since you don't know, I will explain it to you. I sacrifice a monster that is a Magic-User Subtype and special summon one from my hand in its place. So I choose to sacrifice my Black Magician, and special summon another Black Magician from my hand!"

"You've got to be kidding!" Rue exclaimed. "Sorry, but I can't let you do that. I'll activate Ruecian's Deck Master ability! By discarding one card from my hand, your magic card is negated and destroyed!"

Ruecian rushed forward towards the Black Magician, who was beginning to be pulled into a black vortex. But then Senin waved his staff, pointing it at Ruecian. Ruecian brought his sword down towards the vortex, when a purple barrier appeared around it. Ruecian went flying back, barely managing to land on his feet next to Rue.

"What was that?" Rue said in bewilderment.

"I had Senin use his own Deck Master ability," Gale explained. "Your cards and abilities that negate magic cards do not work as long as Senin is my Deck Master."

Rue swore under his breath. "Not good at all…"

The Black Magician vanished into the vortex, and out of it came another Black Magician, identical to the first one.

"But I've done more besides merely escaping your Claymore Mine," Gale told him. "Dimension Magic also lets me destroy one monster on your field."

"What? No fair!" Rue protested.

"On the contrary, it's perfectly fair. So your Skilled Black Magician is destroyed by this effect."

Another vortex appeared behind the Skilled Black Magician. Before it could react, it was pulled inside.

"And there's one more good thing about this. Since this Black Magician was not special summoned via the Sacrificial Doll, it can attack this turn! So after your Doublecoston is dead due to my Skilled Black Magician, my Black Magician attacks you directly!"

Rue: 5200

Gale: 8000

Rue fell back as the wave of black magic struck him. When it was over, he rose slowly. "Ow… now I know how all my opponent's felt when I attacked them directly."

"I lay one more card down before ending my turn," Gale said.

"I'd better hope for a winner," Rue said as he drew. "Score! I play Early Burial. This equip card lets me special summon a monster from my Cemetery in attack mode by paying 800 Life Points. I choose to bring back my Skilled Black Magician."

Rue: 4400

Gale: 8000

"You just gave my own Skilled Black Magician his third magic counter," Gale pointed out. "Not really what I'd call an intelligent move. Oh, wait, I forgot for a second who I was dueling. Forgive me."

"You're forgiven," Rue grinned. "Because now I'm going to have the pleasure of obliterating your monsters. I sacrifice Skilled Black Magician to summon Black Magician Girl! (2000/1700) Already her effect activates. She gains 300 more attack for each Black Magician or Magician of Black Chaos in our Cemeteries. Since you have a Black Magician in yours, her attack is raised by 300!" (2300/1700)

Gale shrugged. "Ok, so she can destroy my Skilled Black Magician. Big deal."

"Yeah, she isn't much by herself," Rue admitted. "But that's why I have this magic card, Jewel of the Wise!"

"You little lucky…" Gale growled.

"It seems you know what it does," Rue stated. "For Draken's benefit though, I'll explain. I can only activate this card if I have a Black Magician Girl on the field. It allows me to special summon a Black Magician from my hand or deck."

Draken looked from the purple Black Magician to the blue one and back again. "Too many Black Magicians," he groaned, shaking his head.

"Now I will have Black Magician Girl attack your Skilled Black Magician!"

Rue: 4400

Gale: 7600

"Then Black Magician attacks your Black Magician, killing both!"

"Afraid not," Gale said. "I activate my face down card, Dimension Magic!"

"Not another!" Rue exclaimed.

The Black Magician went into the vortex, and another appeared. Rue's Black Magician was pulled into another one at the same time, and vanished.

"A heavy loss, you could say," Gale sneered.

"Not as heavy as you might think," Rue told him. "Because now that there are two more Black Magicians in the Cemetery, my Black Magician Girl's attack is raised by 600 more points! (2900/1700) I end my turn."

"I would be threatened, but this card really doesn't make your Black Magician Girl much of a threat," Gale said. "I play a magic card, Thousand Knives!"

"Damn it!" Rue snarled. "That is not what I need right now!"

"Since I have a Black Magician on the field, I can activate it. It destroys one of the monsters on your field. A pity for you, isn't it?" Gale said.

The Black Magician raised his hand, indicating to the Black Magician Girl. Knives rained down from the sky, swiftly impaling her several times before she vanished.

"Now Black Magician attacks directly!"

Rue: 1900

Gale: 7600

"It's your turn," Gale stated.

Draken looked over at Rue's Life Point counter, then at Gale's field. Seeing what the situation was, he began to whistle a funeral march.

"Oh shut up," Rue snapped, drawing. "That overgrown leprechaun hasn't won yet!"

"I assure you that when I win, you will be dying a very, very painful death," Gale snarled, fingering his katars.

"You can really back that one up, can't you?" Draken joked to Rue.

"Actually, yes, I can!" Rue said. "Not like I have much to lose at this point anyway. I lay one monster in defense mode and one card face down, ending my turn."

"I lay one card down and attack with Black Magician," Gale announced.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to resist," Rue grinned. "You've just attacked my Tenacious Old Magician!" (450/600)

"Should I be threatened?" Gale asked.

"Yes, you should be, since his reverse effect destroys one monster on the field," Rue said. "So you can say goodbye to your last Black Magician!"

"That does it," Gale growled. "Now I'm getting serious. It's your turn."

"Alright," Rue shrugged as he drew. "Drat… this isn't going to help much. I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"I play Sealing Swords of Light. This reveals your face down monsters, and makes it so that you cannot attack for three turns."

"Darn," Rue growled. "I was so close to being able to directly attack… oh well. It's my Saint Magician. (300/400) Her reverse effect allows me to get one magic card from my Cemetery and add it to my hand. Is that it?"

"Yes."

"I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"I also set a monster. Go. It is your second turn for Swords."

"I place a third monster in defense, that's it."

"I pass. Last turn for Swords."

"I pass too. Now those damn Swords are finally gone."

"Even so, you won't want to be attacking," Gale smirked. "I sacrifice my face down monster for Black Magician Girl." (3200/1700)

"Oh boy," Rue said unenthusiastically as the Black Magician Girl appeared.

"Then I activate my trap card, Cry of the Living Dead. I can special summon a monster from my Cemetery in attack mode, so I choose Black Magician. (2500/2100) (2900/1700) Then I sacrifice both to special summon Magic Hierophant of Black!" (3200/2800)

Rue, Draken, and Darche watched in awe as the Hierophant appeared. He looked much like a normal Black Magician, except that his armor was black, and his staff was larger, with a much more deadly-looking head. Ruecian seemed much calmer than the others though. He looked over at Senin for a few moments before turning his attention back to the battlefield.

"That's odd. He looks familiar…" Rue commented.

"Gee, I wonder why. Could it be because he looks like Black Magician? No! That couldn't be the reason!" Draken said sarcastically.

"I didn't ask your opinion," Rue told him.

"But I felt like giving it," Draken replied.

"Do either of you even know what the word 'silent' means?" Gale growled.

"Yeah, I know. I'm just not good at being silent," Draken said.

"Start being good at it or my katars will show you how," Gale threatened.

"Ok, I get it," Draken said, stepping back a few paces.

"How did you special summon him?" Rue asked.

"He can only be special summoned by sacrificing two level six or higher Magic-User Subtypes," Gale explained. "Now I will have my Magic Hierophant of Black attack your face down monster to your left."

"I activate Magic Cylinder! This negates your attack and deals damage to your Life Points equal to your monster's attack!" Rue said.

"Good one!" Draken complemented.

"Sorry, but I won't let you do that," Gale stated as the cylinders appeared. The Hierophant raised his staff and blasted away both of them.

"What the hell?" Rue said in disbelief. "How?"

"My Hierophant's effect allows me to negate and destroy trap cards when they are activated," Gale told him.

"Sorry, I meant bad one," Draken said as the Hierophant also destroyed Rue's facedown Skilled Black Magician.

"Thanks for the support," Rue muttered as he drew. He looked at the monster, and then began to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Gale snapped, quickly becoming irritated.

"Oh, this is just priceless!" Rue managed to say as he got a hold on himself. "First, I sacrifice my Saint Magician and my last, facedown Skilled Black Magician to summon Black Magician! Then I play Early Burial, to bring back the Black Magician in my Cemetery!"

Rue: 1100

Gale: 7600

"I thought you could only have one Early Burial in your deck?" Gale asked.

"You're right. However, Saint Magician got me back a magic card, remember? I chose to take Early Burial. Anyway, I sacrifice both of my Black Magicians to special summon my own Magic Hierophant of Black!"

"You have got to be kidding," Gale said, eye twitching as the Hierophant appeared.

Draken face faulted. "You had one all along and you didn't even know its effect?"

"Yep," Rue admitted sheepishly. "It's a new addition to my deck, and I've never drawn it before, so I forgot I had it until now. That's why he looked familiar to me though. Anyway, my Hierophant attacks yours, killing both! Then I lay one card down and end my turn."

Gale looked at his next card. "If you can't stop this, it's over. I summon Gemini Elf! (1900/800) They attack!"

"And I activate Holy Barrier-Mirror Force," Rue said. "You're going to have to try harder than that to beat me!"

"I… end my turn…" Gale muttered.

"Fine by me." Rue looked at his next card and smiled. "Very nice draw. I activate Black Magic Curtain!"

"I thought it was impossible for me to hate you any more. Once again, I was proven wrong," Gale growled as the black curtain appeared.

"Care to give me a heads up on what that does?" Draken asked. "I've seen you play it before but I can't recall what it does. You special summon a Black Magician or something, right?"

"For half my Life Points, I special summon a Black Magician from my deck," Rue explained.

Rue: 550

Gale: 7600

"Now I'll equip my Black Magician with an equip card, Power of Magicians! It raises his stats by 500 for each magic or trap card I have on the field, including itself. So since that's the only magic or trap card I have, his stats go up by 500. But I'll lay down one other card to raise it by 500 more. (3500/3100) Black Magician attacks directly! That's it."

Rue: 550

Gale: 3100

"We'll see how long you remain confident," Gale snarled. "I lay one card down and end my turn."

"Just what I was waiting for," Rue said. "I activate my face down card, Black Magic!" (3000/2600)

"Damn you!" Gale growled. "You have the devil's luck!"

"And one of his familiars," Rue joked.

_"Very funny."_

Rue blinked. _What are you doing here? Did you actually hear what I said?_

No response came.

_…I am getting sick of him. He comes and goes without warning. But lately, he's been showing up more often. If this continues, who knows what will happen?_

"Um, hello? Earth to Rue? You alive?" Draken waved his hand in front of his eyes.

"I'm listening," Rue said, impatiently shoving away his hand. "What is it?"

"You seemed to zone out there for a second," Draken told him.

"I'm fine."

"Sure you are," Draken said, not sounding as though he believed him. "But anyway, I wanted to know what Black Magic does."

"It can only be activated when I have a Black Magician, but it destroys all my opponent's magic and trap cards," Rue explained.

"Not half bad," Draken commented.

"My Magic Cylinder is gone…" Gale said.

"Good. Now Black Magician attacks!"

Rue: 550

Gale: 100

"So close," Rue sighed. "But it's over for you next turn. I'm done."

Gale looked at his next card, and then glared at it. "Of all the things to draw at a time like this…"

He stopped talking, and looked over at Senin. "Yeah, I did forget about that… well, that's the only option we have now." He turned back to Rue. "I'm going to have Senin come to the field!" (2800/3200)

Rue stared at the Black-Robed Sage as he went to the field, still in his midair meditative pose. "Um, ok?"

"Then I activate Cyclone on your Power of Magicians!" (2500/2100)

"…I think I'm screwed," Rue said.

"Indeed," Gale smirked. "Senin attacks your Black Magician!"

Senin pointed his staff at the Black Magician, and a powerful wave of black magic slammed into the Black Magician, obliterating it.

Rue: 250

Gale: 100

"That is why you respect your elders," Darche joked.

"If you get beaten by this old man, I'm going to laugh at you for all eternity," Draken informed Rue. "You'll die to Gale, I'll die laughing, and I'll follow you through heaven while still laughing."

"Good thing I'm not going to let myself lose to him then," Rue said, drawing. He looked at his card, and then swore violently.

"Not the card you were hoping for?" Draken asked.

"Not even close," Rue sighed. "But there has to be a way…"

Draken smacked Rue over the head.

"OW! What the heck did you do that for?" he complained.

"You idiot! You could win right now!"

"I could?" Rue looked at his hand again. "Not by using these cards, that's for sure…"

Ruecian hit Rue lightly over the head as well.

"Not you too!" Rue groaned. "I don't need that much abuse…" Rue trailed off, staring at Ruecian. Then he looked at Senin. Then he turned back to Ruecian. "Please hit me again. Hard."

"No, let me!" Draken said before he slapped Rue across the face.

"Thanks, I needed that," Rue muttered, wincing as he turned back to Gale. "I will have Ruecian step onto the battlefield as well!" (2900/2400)

Ruecian gazed at Senin once more. Senin seemed to lock gazes, and then lifted his staff. Ruecian followed suit.

Then both mages fired their waves of black magic at each other. The spectators were momentarily blinded as the waves collided.

When they finally managed to look again, they saw Ruecian leaning on his staff to keep himself upright, looking very weary. But Senin was slumped over, and was obviously in worse shape.

Rue: 250

Gale: 0

"…I cannot believe this. At all." Gale glared at Rue. "I cannot believe the luck you had in that final part…"

"I'm known for having come-from-behind wins like that," Rue joked. "But that'll teach you who the real master of the Black Magicians is!"

Gale looked at his katars longingly. "Normally I would not care about losing in a card game of all things, but to an idiot like you, this is just insulting."

"I won fairly," Rue pointed out. "And due to me winning, I pretty much get to decide what I want you to do. My conditions are that you leave and do not bother me or any of my friends ever again. Simple enough, right?"

"Fine," Gale said. "I may be disgusted by this, but I'm not dishonorable." He looked over at his Soul Monster. "Senin! We're leaving!"

Senin looked over at Ruecian for a last time. Ruecian straightened up as best as he could and, with a small smile, bowed. Senin nodded with a smile of his own, and then vanished into his Soul Card.

"Looks like you two hit it off well," Darche commented, coming over to Ruecian.

Ruecian shrugged.

"Typical," Darche muttered.

"If that's all, I am leaving," Gale stated.

"Nice meeting you," Draken grinned. "Oh, by the way, I suggest dying your hair green to match your outfit."

"I may have agreed to follow the conditions, but I can always ask my fellow comrades to have you die a long, painful death," Gale snarled before running over to the mountains and beginning to climb over the rocks. Soon, he was out of sight.

Draken sighed in relief. "I tell you, despite how I acted there, I was nervous as heck the whole time. I'm glad you pulled that off."

"So you actually cared about what would have happened to me? That's a first!" Rue said.

"Don't get used to it," Draken retorted.

Ruecian and Darche went back over to them, which caused Rue to change the subject. "How do you feel Ruecian? Are your wounds serious?"

He shook his head.

"Can you go on, or do you want to rest?"

Ruecian began walking away from the mountains.

"There's no mistaking what that means," Darche commented as he followed.

Rue and Draken went too, the latter sighing again. "No rest for the weary, eh?"

To be continued…


	10. Loyal Follower

I apologize for the long wait! I meant to write a ton on Spring Break, but instead I slacked. But now I'm back into the writing mood so expect more updates!

John: Thanks for the compliments, but no thanks for the lame April Fool joke.

Captain Obvious: Points? Yay. I think.

Erestor Telemnar: That's fine, I took a pretty long break too as you can see. As for the suspense, sorry, you'll have to deal with it for a few more chapters!

Demon Fan: Thanks.

**Chapter 10: Loyal Follower**

"How long have we been walking?" Rue complained as they continued to cross the plains.

Draken looked up at the sky. "For a long time."

"Thanks for telling me what I already knew," Rue said sarcastically.

"Anytime."

Ruecian had not seemed to be hindered from his injuries, and Darche had no problems with keeping up, of course. But the two teens were having difficulties with continuing after walking for so long.

"Something about this is bothering me though…" Rue said.

"Gee, I wonder what. Maybe the pain in our bodies of continuing this trek for so long? Or the fact that we're so exhausted that we won't be able to go on much longer? Or maybe it's the fact that we could be ambushed by a Maverick any second and then die! How about that splendid idea?"

"Must you make everything we talk about a joke? Hey… wait… that's it!" Rue exclaimed.

"What? The fact that we might die any second?"

"No, not that!" Rue said impatiently. "It's the Mavericks. We've already defeated Gale around this area. Why would there be another Maverick here? From what we've heard, these Mavericks are elites. So there probably aren't that many. They wouldn't all be remaining in one area. Gale was probably the only one here."

"Wow, I'm impressed," Darche stated. "You're actually thinking for once. But be careful, or you might hurt yourself. We wouldn't want your amazing mind to be affected."

"Quiet you," Rue grumbled.

"But if you're right… then that means we've wasted the whole day looking in this area for nothing!" Draken groaned, slapping his head against his forehead. "Thanks for making your great deduction when it's practically worthless by now."

"Anytime," Rue mimicked.

"It gives us a good excuse to head back now though," Darche pointed out. "By the time we arrive at the mountains, it should be nightfall. We can rest there, and fly to the meeting place in the morning."

"That'll work," Draken agreed. "Too bad it means more walking though."

"Can't we at least rest for a few minutes?" Rue requested.

Ruecian turned around and began walking back towards the mountains.

"Sometimes he can be such a slave driver," Rue sighed as they followed.

It was around nightfall when they finally arrived at the base of the mountains. Rue and Draken instantly collapsed, too tired to even look for a decent place to rest.

Darche sat down as well. "Even I found that hard to keep up with. Your endurance is remarkable, Ruecian."

Ruecian shrugged, and then walked away.

"He's probably going to try and find a location to stay in for the night," Rue explained when he got his breath back.

"What kind of steroids did you give him?" Draken said in disbelief. "I've been on long treks before, but at that pace?"

"Must be the urgency of this," Rue replied. "I've never been pushed that hard by him."

A few minutes later, Ruecian returned.

"Did you find anything?" Rue asked.

Ruecian nodded.

"Cool. Lead the way then," Rue said as they got up.

But Ruecian froze. Then he lifted his staff, looking around cautiously.

Draken watched him warily. "Something wrong?"

"There must be someone nearby," Rue explained, reaching towards his deck in case they were attacked.

Then Ruecian turned to the base of the mountains. They looked over there to see the person who had been sensed.

He wore a light green, sleeveless shirt, with a brown belt that crossed over it. Strapped to the belt was a sword sheath, with what seemed to be a broad sword. His pants were white until they reached down to his knees, in which they became a dark green that matched the colors of the wristbands he had on each of his arms. His brown, casual shoes were the same shade as the belt he wore. He also had a dark red cape with a high collar. It completely concealed his right side, but the clasps on the left were undone, exposing that side. His short, dark brown hair was rather messed up, as though he tended to not try to straighten it. His eyes were brown too, but were lighter than his hair.

Draken eyed the sword he wore. "Looks like you spoke too soon about there not being any more Mavericks, Rue."

"You think I'm a Maverick? That's highly insulting," the young man said. "Actually, I'm with Master Tirran. Call me Adene."

"Master Tirran?" Draken muttered. Luckily, Adene did not hear

"So why are you here?" Rue asked. "If it's about finding a Maverick here, we already took care of him."

"Well, it's good that you did, but that isn't why I'm here," Adene stated. "You could say I'm here to test you, to see if you're ready for what's ahead."

"So in other words, you want to duel with one of us," Draken inferred.

"Since that seems to be your method of fighting, yes."

"You're dueling him," Rue immediately said to Draken. "I fought Gale, so it's your turn."

"Fine," Draken said. "I doubted I would be able to get out of this one anyway."

"You beat Gale? Remarkable," Adene commented. "Gale is often considered the third strongest of the Mavericks."

"Yikes," Rue said. "I didn't know he was that good..."

"Wow. Am I actually feeling respect for Rue? Nah, that can't be," Draken joked, turning on his Duel Disk.

"You can't even complement me in my one moment of triumph?" Rue inquired.

"Nope. Because that would mean I'd be admitting that you're good at something, which would mean the apocalypse is coming."

"Just shut up," Rue muttered.

Adene looked over at Darche. "That's your Soul Monster?"

"Yeah. He's a Knight of White Dragon, but you can refer to him as Darche."

"Tell me, who would yours be?" Adene asked Rue.

"He's a Super Magical Swordsman-Black Paladin, who goes by Ruecian," Rue answered. "Why?"

"I thought both were kind of ironic," Adene said. "You probably won't understand yet why I think Darche is, but Ruecian… well, see for yourself." Then he brought out his own Soul Card.

The Soul Monster that appeared was humanoid in structure, but that was all they could tell. He was completely covered by purple armor with orange lines that created designs on a few certain areas of the armor. A section behind his head was raised, almost like a hood that protected the back of his neck and head, but not much else. The helmet he wore had two antenna-like things coming from it, which added a curious touch. His eyes were a vivid red. He carried an enormous sword. The sword had only one sharp edge; the other was lined with gold, like the hilt, and had a few large, blue gems in it.

Ruecian tensed, gazing at the monster. The others recognized it instantly as well.

"Buster Blader!" Rue exclaimed.

"Yes, although he goes by the name Bowen. I believe he is one of the components for fusing the Black Paladin?"

"That's right," Rue agreed. "Of course, as far as I know, Soul Monsters can't fuse, but in the card game that applies."

"This isn't good," Draken muttered. "If his Soul Monster's Deck Master ability is anything like Buster Blader's card game effect, I can pretty much forget any thought of winning. But either way, I can't back out now!"

Draken: 8000

Adene: 8000

"Since you challenged me, I have the right to go first," Draken stated. "I lay one monster in defense mode, and one card face down. It's your turn."

"I draw, and on my standby phase, I declare Dragon," Adene said.

"Huh?"

"It's Bowen's Deck Master ability," Adene explained. "On each of my standby phases, I declare one Sub-Type. If any of my monsters battles that Sub-Type, then your Sub-Type is automatically destroyed after the damage step."

"Blast it," Draken growled. "And I gave away earlier that pretty much all my monsters are Dragons…"

"An error on your part."

"Way to go," Rue snickered.

"Shut up," Draken muttered.

"Anyway, I summon Manju God," (1400/1000) Adene announced. "He allows me to search my deck for a ritual monster card or a ritual magic card from my deck and put it into my hand. Alright, I've found it. Now Manju God attacks your face down monster."

"My Sapphire Dragon…" (1900/1600)

Draken: 8000

Adene: 7800

"Even though its defense is higher than my attack, it's still destroyed."

"You don't say," Draken said sarcastically as he put it into the Cemetery.

"Ah, but he does," Rue said.

"I'd like to be able to concentrate, thank you," Draken snapped.

"I lay two cards face down and end my turn."

Draken looked his new card and shrugged. "Worth a try. First, I summon Knight of White Dragon. (1900/1200) Then I'll activate Stomping Crash on the card to your left!"

"What does it do?"

"It destroys one face down magic or trap card, and causes you to lose 500 Life Points."

"Alright, the Life Points I could care less about, but I need that card. So I activate my other one, Magic Drain. This counter trap negates your magic card, unless you can discard another one."

"Fine by me. I discard my useless Dragon Calling Horn," Draken stated.

"Drat. That was my Trap Jammer."

"Trap Jammer? Ah well. At least your field is practically open now," Draken said. "I now activate Knight of White Dragon's effect. By sacrificing him, I can special summon a Blue Eyes White Dragon from my hand or deck-in this case, my deck! (3000/2500)"

"That seems to be a bit cheap," Adene commented as the Blue Eyes hissed at him.

"Well, Knight of White Dragon has a few side effects normally. But Darche's Deck Master ability negates them. So it's just as cheap as you destroying my Dragons every turn."

"Point taken. Are you going to attack?"

"Yep. My Blue Eyes attacks your Manju God!"

Draken: 8000

Adene: 6200

"That's it for me."

"Not bad," Adene stated. "But I can't leave that Blue Eyes out. I declare Dragon again. Then I use Early Burial. By paying 800 Life Points, this equip brings back my Manju God in attack mode." (1400/1000)

Draken: 8000

Adene: 5400

"It attacks your Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

"A suicide attack? I won't let you!" Draken declared. "I activate Attack Nullification, so your attack is negated. It also ends your battle phase."

"On to plan B then," Adene said, not seeming concerned about the set back. "I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"I summon Kaiser Seahorse! (1750/1600) Then my Blue Eyes attacks your Manju God!"

Draken: 8000

Adene: 3800

"After that, Kaiser Seahorse attacks your face down monster."

"It's my Army Dragon," (700/800) Adene said.

"Dang it! Not that annoying thing!" Draken complained.

"What does it do?" Rue asked.

"Every time one of those pests is destroyed from battle, he can special summon another one from his deck in face up attack or defense," Draken said in disgust.

"That's the gist of it," Adene agreed. "So I bring out another one in defense mode. Anything else?"

"I'm done," Draken sighed.

"Hm… I think I'll pass," Adene stated.

"In that case, I'll take out your annoying defenses this turn and defeat you on my next one! I attack your Army Dragon with Kaiser Seahorse!"

"I take another and place it in defense mode once more."

"And my Blue Eyes destroys it. Then, on my main phase two, I activate Fusion!"

Adene raised an eyebrow. "Are you fusing what I think you are?"

"With the Blue Eyes on my field and the two in my hand, I can form the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon! (4500/4200) Next turn, you're pretty much screwed unless you have a back up plan," Draken told him. "I end my turn."

"Ouch. He's about to get slaughtered," Rue commented.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Darche stated as Adene looked at his new card and began to laugh again.

"What is it this time?" Draken asked.

"Another coincidence," Adene said with a grin. "One I find highly helpful. First, I activate a magic card, Brain Control!"

"Brain Control? What's that?" Draken inquired.

"I pay 800 Life Points."

Draken: 8000

Adene: 3000

"In exchange, I get to take control of one of your face up monsters until the end of my turn," Adene explained. "Take a wild guess at what I want."

"Ouch," Draken winced as he watched his Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon move to Adene's side.

"Then I activate a monster's effect from my hand. It's The Marsh Guardian King. (500/1100) His effect lets me place him from my hand into the Cemetery to search my deck for a Fusion magic card and place it into my hand. Then, I activate it, to fuse your Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon and the Chaos Soldier in my hand!"

"I get the feeling this isn't good," Draken said as he watched the monsters vanish in a white flash of light.

Then they emerged again. The Chaos Soldier now rode on the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon's middle neck. All three heads glared at Draken, hissing, screeching, and roaring.

"Meet my Master of Dragon Knight," (5000/5000) Adene introduced.

"I'm not pleased to make his acquaintance," Draken said.

"Doesn't look good for you," Rue commented.

"I'll be fine," Draken stated, eyeing the new monster tensely.

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"

"Both," Draken confessed. "But at least he can't finish me off this turn."

"Actually, I can," Adene said. "First of all, my Dragon Knight's attack is raised by 500 for each Dragon Sub-Type on my field. (5500/5000) After that, I equip him with the magic card Twin Swords of Flurry-Toraisu. I have to discard my Rebirth of the Dead to be able to, and my Dragon Knight's attack is lowered by 500, but it is worth it. (5000/5000) For now he can attack twice!"

"…Damn it," Draken muttered.

"He attacks Kaiser Seahorse, and then attacks you directly!"

Draken braced himself as the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon's heads combined their power to form a ball of white energy. The Chaos Soldier brought up his sword, which began to glow rainbow colors. Then they released their power at the same time so the two beams mixed together, tearing through the Kaiser Seahorse. Before Draken could get over the shock of the powerful attack, they released another, which crashed into him and caused him to fly backwards.

Draken: 0

Adene: 3000

"You alright?" Darche asked, offering Draken a hand.

Draken accepted, pulling himself up. "Ow… yeah, I'm ok, thanks. My pride is hurt more than anything."

"Looks like you got served," Rue snickered, coming over to him.

"Let's see you do better," Draken retorted.

"I actually would, since you basically provided him with the one monster he needed," Rue pointed out.

"Well… I can't argue with that… ok, fine, I screwed up badly!" Draken said in exasperation. "You happy now?"

"Why yes, thank you," Rue grinned.

Draken was about to make another comment before Adene cut in impatiently. "This is amusing to listen to, but I really do not have the time to listen to your bickering. So let me finish my business here."

"Oh yeah. Since I lost, you get to kill me, don't you?" Draken gave a resigned shrug and stepped forward. "Alright, but do me a favor and make it quick. I heard you can live for a few minutes if beheaded, so how about a stab through the heart? That looked like a pretty fast way to go."

Adene gave him a look of disgust. "I'm not going to kill you. My orders from Master Tirran were to test you with a duel to see how prepared you were. Judging by that match, you aren't ready for the obstacles ahead yet."

"Denied!" Rue told him.

"You will be too if you keep annoying me. You've already had a broken leg; don't make me give you another one," Draken threatened before turning back to Adene. "Ok, so I failed. Was that my only opportunity to take this test?"

"Perhaps you can have a second chance if I feel you have improved," Adene stated. "But next time will be the real thing. If you lose, you will suffer the consequences of death."

"So you could say that duel was a pretest," Draken said.

"Pretty much. So use this time to study for the vital test," Adene replied. "Now, I must go. Master Tirran is expecting me."

"You're pretty polite when it comes to Sarius," Rue commented.

"I don't see any problem with that," Adene shrugged before turning and going towards the mountains. Soon he was lost in the shrouds of night.

"I can thank my lucky stars for living through that one," Draken said with a sigh of relief.

"And then you can prepare yourself for next time, so you have a better chance at living," Rue pointed out.

"I know, I know! Now that I know what his strategy is, I'll be able to beat him next time. Right Darche?"

"Yeah. It'll work out in the end," Darche agreed.

"Well, one can hope," Rue said. "But in the meantime, I'm exhausted. Ruecian, you were going to lead us to a location to rest in?"

Ruecian nodded, and the four of them set off to get some much-deserved rest.

To be continued…


	11. Head On Attack

Yay for another fun chapter! Although I made about a million grammar and dueling errors when it was first written, they were caught and fixed before posting. So enjoy!

Captain Obvious: Ever heard of the movie "You Got Served"? It's an inside joke from that. It basically means, "You just got owned."

John: We already have a Warrior deck, no need for another. And that's fine, at least you remembered what day it was unlike most people.

Erestor Telemnar: Bolt himself says he is considered the strongest Maverick. You'll see what the others are ranked later.

**Chapter 11: Head On Attack**

"Are we there yet?"

"Don't even start."

"Dang it Gen, you ruin all my fun."

"That's why I exist."

"Why did I want you to be created then?"

"You wanted me to be created?"

"Maybe not."

"Aw, I was touched for a minute there. Then I remembered you would never say anything like that."

"You know me better than I know myself."

"Of course I do."

"No need to agree with me."

"But I wish to."

"Doesn't mean you have to."

"But it means I want to."

"But you also wanted me to jump off a bridge once, and you didn't see me go and do it."

"That's a completely different matter."

"How so?"

"Why explain it when you never understand my logic anyway?"

"Good point. Your so-called logic really sucks."

"I'll take that as a compliment, since that means it's beyond your comprehension. Oh, wait, I forgot that your mind can't grasp much anyway."

"You don't have to point out things I already know."

"But it's so amusing to see your reactions."

"I find the mental image of punching you in the face a lot more funny."

"Did I strike a nerve?"

"You wish."

"Let's not go down that line again."

"Indeed. So let's start a new one."

Fell put a hand to his forehead, resisting the urge to groan out loud. Ever since they had left for the canyon, Miles and Gen had been conversing. They were already close to the canyon, yet they were still talking. Most of the matters were so idiotic that Fell could barely stand it.

Daine looked up at him as they went up the slope to the canyon. "Master, is something wrong?"

"Nothing," Fell growled, flexing his hands so that his claw-like fingernails were arched menacingly. "Nothing at all."

"Are you sure? You have seemed to have had a headache ever since we parted from the group," Daine said. "Is there any way I can help?"

"Yes. You can kill both of them, starting with Miles," Fell replied, glaring at the teen.

Miles grinned in response. "Are you telling me that I'm actually getting on your nerves?"

"What ever gave you that idea?" Fell said sarcastically.

"Whoa! You even tried to be humorous! Although you failed miserably, that's certainly an improvement!"

"I was not attempting that, and I am being perfectly serious," Fell stated. "If Daine does not feel like staining his teeth with your blood, I would not mind the inconvenience of the red marks to rid you from the world."

"Darn. Looks like you're back to being your old self," Miles joked. "Nearly, that is. I'm amazed that you're talking at all, and that's not counting the fact that you're using complete sentences."

Seeing the murderous look Fell was giving Miles, Gen cut in. "Are you still trying to commit suicide? I think he means what he says."

"Probably," Miles agreed. "It would be wise to shut up, but I'm not exactly smart, as you know full well."

"Yes, I do," Gen said dryly.

By this time, they had reached the top of the slope, and were staring down at the gorge. "Ok, so are we going to cross or stay on this side?" Miles asked.

"The Maverick could be anywhere," Gen stated. "If there is one that's even here, anyway. So either place is a good one to start…"

Daine let out a sudden snarl. "Someone is here!"

Before Miles or Gen could respond to this, Fell grabbed Miles by his bandana and lunged backwards, dragging Miles with him. Just as he leapt away, a cannon ball slammed into the earth, causing an explosion that's smoke blinded everyone temporarily.

Eventually it began to clear away. Miles coughed a few more times, pulling his bandana away from his neck slightly and wincing as he felt his throat. "Geez Fell… you weren't kidding when you said you'd kill me…" Then the smoke was completely gone. Miles stared in amazement at the large crater in the ground in front of him. "Holy… ok, never mind. You just saved my life. Which is something I really didn't expect."

"Do not get used to it," Fell said, standing up.

"Should have known you'd say something like that. Then again, you never say anything most of the time, so it wasn't like I would have expected that. But you have been talking more than usual today." Miles tenderly pushed his bandana back in place. "If you do decide to save me again though, please use a different method. You nearly killed me anyway by strangling me to death!"

"Who are you to complain?" Gen asked, limping over to them. "I wasn't in the direct line of fire, but the explosion still got me somewhat."

Miles couldn't help but laugh at how Gen looked. Normally his appearance was very neat, due to his outfit. But now his white clothes were covered with the red dust from the canyon that the explosion had uncovered, which gave him a rather amusing appearance.

"Quiet," Gen grumbled, rather annoyed by the whole matter. "We may have avoided most of it, but whoever did that is still around."

Daine ran over to them as well. His fur was covered with red dust as well, but he did not seem concerned with that. "Yes, he is here. Look ahead."

Their opponent came up the slope, stopping a yard or so away from them. He wore a suit of what seemed to be Japanese body armor. It looked as though it was covered by fish scales that were deep blue and aquamarine colors. Similar to Gaia, the only thing uncovered was his head, so they could see his sharp features. His hair was blue, but was so dark that it seemed to be black. It was kept back in a ponytail that nearly went down to his legs. His clear, sharp blue eyes scanned them in contempt. In his right hand, he carried a trident with a light blue, crystal head and a gold handle.

Floating beside him was a colossal Soul Monster. It looked like a sperm whale, but there were a few differences. The dark blue whale had a black horn protruding from its snout, for one. But the biggest change was that it had several turrets on its back, all aimed at the group.

"Well, this sucks," Miles commented.

"So, you avoided my first attack," the man stated. "That doesn't mean anything though. The next one will slaughter you all. Heh… I don't know what Juno was talking about when he said brute force would not work. You all seem pretty helpless either way."

Miles took out several cards from his pocket and inserted them in his Duel Disk. "Just try it."

Fell calmly placed some cards in his as well, watching their opponent warily.

"I believe I will! Anth, bombard them again!"

The Soul Monster screeched, and then released another large cannon blast. But this time, Miles was ready. He casually flipped over one of the cards he had placed down.

The cannon fire abruptly exploded as it made contact with a barrier that suddenly appeared. As the explosion ended, the barrier faded away.

"What the hell was that?" the man said in disbelief. "Anth, attack again!"

Miles activated another card, and another barrier protected them.

"You can't get past my Attack Nullifications!" Miles told him. "I have more than enough to stop any attacks you throw at us."

"Like I'll fall for that!" the man shouted, grabbing his trident and running forward, slashing at them. Another Attack Nullification stopped him though.

"Just give it up," Miles said.

"Never!" The attacker continued to try to assault them. Attack Nullifications sprang up each time, but Miles was slowly running out. Even though the man seemed to be getting tired, he continued to stab at them

"This is ridiculous," Miles commented. "At this rate I won't have enough." He looked at his Duel Disk as his last one was ejected. "Correction; due to that ridiculous amount of attacks, I just ran out."

"H-hah! I-I have you n-now!" the man exclaimed, panting heavily before thrusting at them with all his might.

It was all for naught when another Attack Nullification stopped him. He stared at Miles, enraged. "But I thought you were out of those!"

"I am," Miles replied, with a cocky grin. "But Fell has them too."

The man slowly turned to Fell, fearing what he'd see. Sure enough, he saw what he had been afraid of as Fell held up a large stack of Attack Nullifications for him to see.

"Argh… I… I give up…" the man groaned, stumbling back. "Alright… we'll… we'll duel… with cards… like you want to… curse… this world… with its stupid rules…"

"Sounds good to me!" Miles said cheerfully, walking over to him with Gen following. "I'll be your opponent, if Fell doesn't want to be."

"I have no desire to face one like him," Fell stated.

"Yeah, I didn't think you'd like to duel an idiot," Miles replied. "You weren't thrilled the time you had to duel me, after all. But anyway… we are correct in assuming that you are a Maverick?"

"That's right!" he said, regaining his breath. "I'm known as Wave Trident. Even if I have to use pieces of cardboard, of all things, to kill you, I'll do it. You aren't about to get away after what you just put me through."

"I'd be a bit more threatened if you hadn't been such a moron," Miles said. "So who's your Soul Monster?"

"A Fortress Whale, known as Anth," Wave stated, glaring at him. "And I am not a moron!"

"This is Gen, a White Thief. And yes, you are," Miles retorted.

"Am not!"

"Am too!"

"Am not!"

"Am too!"

"Am not!"

"Am too!"

"Am not!"

"Am too!"

"Am not!"

"Am too!"

"Daine… forget killing Miles and Gen…" Fell said in despair. "Just slaughter them all. Please, before I lose the little sanity I still have…"

"Master, that would be breaking the rules of fair combat," Daine pointed out.

"I cannot take this any more…" Fell managed to say before he put his hands to his head.

"Don't worry. I think they will reach talking terms soon," Daine said, looking over at them.

"Am not!"

"Am too!"

"Am not!"

"Am too!"

"Or maybe not…" Daine sighed.

Gen watched them, his eyebrow twitching. Finally, he decided to interfere.

"Am not!"

"Am too!"

"FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT'S HOLY, WOULD YOU TWO SHUT UP!" Gen yelled.

"Huh? He started it!" Miles whined.

"Nuh-uh! You did! You called me a moron!" Wave shouted, pointing at him with his trident.

"But you attacked us!"

"But Juno ordered me to kill you all!"

"But Juno invaded our world first!"

"NO! DO NOT START ANOTHER ARGUMENT!" Gen shouted over them. "GET ON WITH THE DUEL BEFORE WE ARE DRIVEN CRAZY!"

"It is too late for me…" Fell groaned, kneeling on the ground with his hands pressed over his ears.

Miles looked over at Fell, and then shrugged. "Sure thing. Not like that was important anyway."

"Of course not," Wave snarled. "It will be settled when the winner is decided. Since I will be the victor, your deaths will teach you to not wrong me! Of course, by then it will be too late…"

"Oh hurry up," Miles yawned as he turned on his Duel Disk. "We've heard death threats so many times that they have basically no effect on any of us now."

"Fine," Wave growled, activating his Duel Disk as well.

Miles: 8000

Wave: 8000

"I'll go first!" Wave declared.

"That isn't fair! I wanted to go first!" Miles protested.

"Oh yeah? Well so do I!"

"No! We are not getting into an argument over every little thing!" Gen said. "Listen, I'm picking a number between one and ten. Miles, do you have paper and a pencil?"

"Yeah, I always carry some around," Miles replied, getting them out of the pouch he wore at his side and handing it to Gen. "Why?"

"So the loser doesn't accuse me of cheating," Gen stated, scribbling down a number. "One of you, guess."

"I'll guess first," Wave said.

"Hey, but I wanted to…" Miles began.

"Just let him go Miles!" Gen said in exasperation.

"Five," Wave stated.

"I guess pi," Miles decided.

"What… hey! You can't do that!" Wave exclaimed.

"Why not? It is a number, isn't it?" Miles pointed out. "Yeah, an infinitely long number, but we can round it to 3.14 and see if I'm closer."

Gen blinked, and looked at the paper before showing it to them. "Technically, I guess Miles was closer. It's three."

"You must be kidding me!" Wave growled in disgust.

"Tough luck for you," Miles grinned, drawing. "I'll start by activating Mischievous Demon Twins. I pay 1000 Life Points to pick a random card from your hand. You are forced to discard that card. Also, you need to pick another one to discard."

Miles: 7000

Wave: 8000

"I'll have you discard your center card," Miles said.

"My Tidal Wave… and I'll choose to discard my Killer Snake," (300/250) Wave stated.

"What? Dang it! Of all the cards to have in your hand…" Miles complained. "I lay one card face down and one monster in defense mode. It's your turn."

"On my standby phase, I take my Killer Snake from my Cemetery and put it into my hand. Then I play a field magic card, The Legendary City Atlantis!"

Miles barely had time to brace himself before a tidal wave hit the field, flooding it as the temple rose. He quickly regained his footing, looking around at the field. "An Atlantis deck? This ought to be fun."

Gen was much less than thrilled due to the fact that his clothes were now not only still tinged with the red dust but that he was drenched. He wrung out his cape while saying, "I am so sending my laundry bill to you, Wave."

Daine emerged from the water, and half walked/half swam a good distance away from the field, to a more shallow area, before shaking off the water. "It is not that bad, Gen."

"You're one to talk. All you have to do to clean yourself off is jump into a lake," Gen grumbled.

Miles would normally have been amused by the situation, but he was far more entertained by Fell's appearance. He had gone over to where Daine was, but he had still been submerged by the wave. Now his long hair was completely soaked, and clung to his back as he stood up in the shallow waters.

"Geez! I thought your hair was crazy before, but now you just look ridiculous!" Miles commented.

Fell glared at him before he began to wring out his hair.

"May we get on with this?" Wave said impatiently. "I summon Gagagigo. (1850/1000) Due to Atlantis, all Water Main-Types get their stats increased by 200." (2050/1200)

"Congratulations! You can read!" Miles said sarcastically.

"I do not need your pathetic insults at this moment! Gagagigo attacks your defense monster!"

"Sorry, but my Gravity Bind says you won't," Miles stated as he activated it. "All level four or higher monsters can't attack as long as Gravity Bind is on the field!"

"Ah, but Atlantis makes all of the Water Main-Type monsters in my hand and on the field one level lower than usual. So now my Gagagigo is level three. What do you have to say about that?"

"All I have to say is that you suck," Miles retorted. "And you attacked my Soul Hunting Spirit. (300/200) He can't be destroyed in battle anyway though, so I guess it doesn't matter. You going to do anything else?"

"I lay one card face down and end my turn."

"Fine by me!" Miles looked at his next card. "Well, this ought to be fun. I summon White Thief (1000/700) and equip him with Power of Teamwork. This raises his stats by 800 for each monster on my field! Since I have two, that's 1600 more! (2600/2300) Now he attacks your Gagagigo!"

"You ran right into my trap," Wave smirked. "I activate Forced Ejection Machine! It sends one of your monsters on the field back to your hand. So I choose Soul Hunting Spirit."

"Aw damnation," Miles groaned. "Since Soul Hunting Spirit was targeted with a trap effect, he's automatically destroyed due to his effect. And since he isn't on the field, my White Thief isn't strong enough to take out the Gagagigo!" (1800/1500)

"Exactly," Wave said.

"You changed the number of monsters on my field though, so I get a replay," Miles said. "So I cancel my attack. Unfortunately, it seems like you have a brain after all. Too bad-I was hoping for an easy duel for a change. I end my turn.

"That's what you get for underestimating me," Wave sneered. "Even if this is a pathetic way to battle, I can still pound you into the ground. I summon Abyss Soldier. (2000/1500) Then Abyss Soldier attacks. Say goodbye to your White Thief!"

"Goodbye," Miles winced as he watched the Abyss Soldier slice it apart.

"Then Gagagigo attacks you directly!"

Miles cried out in pain as the Gagagigo tore into him, sending him flying.

Miles: 4750

Wave: 8000

Gen swiftly went over to where Miles had gone under and blindly felt around until he found Miles' shirt collar, and hauled him up. "You alright?"

Miles coughed a few times. "Yeah, no thanks to that bastard."

"You've already lost about half of your Life Points, and we've barely even started," Wave smirked. "I'm done with my turn."

"It isn't over yet!" Miles declared as he drew. "I summon Troop Commander! (1200/400) Then I equip him with Demon Axe, to raise his attack by 1000! (2200/400) He attacks Gagagigo! Then I end my turn."

Miles: 4750

Wave: 7850

"At least you did some damage before losing," Wave commented as he drew. "But it wasn't enough. Now I summon Giga Gagagigo!" (2650/1700)

"Ugh… he must be a level five monster," Miles realized. "Well, even with Atlantis, he's level four. That means I'm safe, thanks to Gravity Bind."

"Afraid not," Wave stated. "I activate Abyss Soldier's effect! By discarding a Water Main-Type from my hand-in this case, Killer Snake-I may choose a card on the field and send it back to its owner's hand. I choose your Gravity Bind."

"I'm screwed, aren't I?" Miles said as he placed the Gravity Bind into his hand.

"I would assume so. Giga Gagagigo destroys your Troop Commander, and then Abyss Soldier attacks directly!"

Miles: 2300

Wave: 7850

Miles had managed to stay up this time. "Ow… that's going to hurt in the morning… you done slaughtering me yet?"

"For now. I will lay one card down and end my turn."

"Ok then," Miles said, drawing.

"But now I activate my trap card, Mind Crush!" Wave declared. "I call a card name, and then see your hand. If you have any card going by that name in your hand, you are forced to discard all of the ones that go by it. If I guessed wrong, I would have to discard a random card from my hand, but I know I will be right, since I call Gravity Bind."

"Rats. That does get rid of my Gravity Bind," Miles said, revealing his hand. "But at least I have these two cards. Like the looks of them?"

Wave stared at them. "What are they?"

"How about I just activate them so you can find out for yourself? First, I use Theft. By equipping it to your Giga Gagagigo, he's now under my control!" Miles looked at his hand. "This is a big gamble… but I really don't have much choice at this point, do I? I'll equip Giga Gagagigo with another Demon Axe!" (3650/1700)

"What the hell? Quit getting equip cards you idiot!" Wave snarled.

"Let me think… no," Miles grinned. "I attack your Abyss Soldier."

Miles: 2300

Wave: 6200

"Then I end my turn. On your standby phase, you get 1000 Life Points due to Theft's side effect."

Miles: 2300

Wave: 7200

Wave looked at his hand, and shrugged. "I wanted to save this effect, but I have no choice but to use it now. So I activate Anth's Deck Master ability!"

"Which does what?" Miles asked.

Anth turned to the field and pointed his turrets at the field. Then he released a volley of cannonballs.

"Ahhhhh! Fire in the hole!" Miles yelped before diving underwater. Gen looked at the water, gave a sigh of disgust, and went under too as the cannonballs crashed into the field, sending water everywhere.

The duo finally came up again, and saw the entire field was cleared by the cannon fire. Miles blinked a few times. "Yikes. I think someone set up us the bomb."

"You could say that," Gen agreed.

"And I thought my grammar was bad," Wave muttered. "Well, that is what Anth's effect is. By discarding my entire hand, all cards on the field are destroyed. At the end of my turn though, I get to draw two cards. Luckily for you, I can only do this once per duel."

"Thank everything for that," Miles said. "I assume you're done?"

"Yes."

Miles looked at his deck. "Without a hand, I'm going to have to pray that I draw something good…" He looked over at the two spectators of the duel. "Hey, Fell! Couldn't you at least act like you want me to win or something? I could use some support now!"

Fell looked at him, then at Wave, and back again. "I am actually hoping that you will tie, and thus be able to kill each other so I can be free from both of you."

"Thanks for being a real friend!" Miles shouted before drawing. "Well, I got a life saver right here. First though, I'll activate Gen's Deck Master ability. Go for it!"

"Of course," Gen replied, before vanishing.

Wave started, and looked around. "What? Where…"

"I'm over here," Gen said, reappearing at Miles' side. "I suggest counting the number of cards in your hand."

Wave stared at his only card. "I despise you."

"It's nice to know that we feel the same way about each other," Miles grinned. "Although I didn't need your input to know that. Anyway, I think you can figure out for yourself what Gen does."

"He stole one of my cards!" Wave snarled.

"No, not stole. Just borrowed without the intent of returning," Gen said.

"And it's just what I needed," Miles told him. "I summon your Abyss Soldier! (1800/1300) Then I lay one card down and attack you directly! That's it for me."

Miles: 2300

Wave: 5400

Wave glared at his new card. "I get Killer Snake back, and lay one defense monster before ending…"

"Well, this doesn't help me much at the moment," Miles said as he examined his draw. "I attack with Abyss Soldier."

"As you may have guessed, it was Killer Snake," Wave stated. "Is that all?"

"Yep."

"Finally, I can go on the offense!" Wave announced. "I play Atlantis, and then summon Giga Gagagigo!"

"You sure you want to attack?" Miles asked, indicating to his face down card.

"Not with Giga Gagagigo. Instead, I activate a magic card, Metamorphosis! I sacrifice a monster, and special summon a Fusion monster with the same amount of levels. I'll choose Death Demon Dragon." (2000/1200)

"Genius move right there," Miles said. "Way to offer your monster for a weaker one. And how on earth is Death Demon Dragon a Water Main-Type?"

"It isn't, you dolt," Wave retorted. "You do not understand what kind of deck I run. It is a combination of Atlantis, Bounce, and Metamorphosis. Bounce, in case you didn't know, is a type of deck that specializes in sending cards back to your hand and deck."

"Swell, you have a three way deck," Miles said. "Good luck in trying to make that work."

"It actually does work very well," Wave smirked. "In case you didn't notice, I am winning."

"Ah shut up. Are you going to attack or not?" Miles asked.

"Yes, I will."

"Then I activate Magic Cylinder!" Miles declared. "It negates your attack and deals damage equal to your attack!"

"Sorry, but I won't let you get away with that," Wave said as the Death Demon Dragon's attack tore through the cylinders that appeared. "Death Demon Dragon's effect makes it so that trap cards targeting it are negated and destroyed.

"Well, that's not good…" Miles said as he watched the Abyss Soldier battle with the Death Demon Dragon. But suddenly, they both dissolved.

"What? How did that happen?" Wave said in bewilderment.

Miles realized it instantly. "It was Atlantis! Atlantis raised Abyss Soldier's attack to 2000, so they killed each other!"

"Damn it! How could I have missed that?" Wave snarled. "I'm done…"

"That mistake will cost you," Miles commented as he drew. "I lay one card down and summon Surprising Matasa! (1300/800) Then I attack you directly, twice!"

"Hey! You can't do that!" Wave protested before the Matasa slashed him two times.

Miles: 2300

Wave: 2800

"Why can't I? It's Surprising Matasa's effect after all," Miles said. "He can attack twice during my battle phase. Your turn."

"You are so in for it…" Wave growled as he drew.

"Not this turn," Miles grinned. "I activate Lost Property. This trap forces you to discard the card you just drew."

"Bah… Spin would not have helped me much either way," Wave stated. "I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"Attack to kill your Killer Snake, and then attack you directly. Your move."

Miles: 2300

Wave: 1500

"…Not exactly what I wanted, but it works," Wave sighed. "I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

Miles eyed the card suspiciously. "That might not be Killer Snake… hm…" He looked at the card he had drawn. "Now this is more like it! Sorry Wave, but it's over for you."

"How can you be so sure?" Wave questioned.

Fell looked over at Miles for a second before he began to walk towards Wave's side of the field. Neither duelist nor their Soul Monster noticed.

"Because of this combo that's going to lead to your loss," Miles stated. "First, I summon Soul Hunting Spirit in attack mode!" (300/200)

"…Right. And that's going to do what for you?" Wave said.

"Now I activate a magic card, Magic Box of Death!" Miles continued. "One monster on your side of the field is destroyed, so your face down monster is dead!"

"My Penguin Soldier… curses! (950/500) If you had attacked, I could have sent back your two monsters…"

"But I didn't, now did I?" Miles said. "Now, for Magic Box of Death's other effect. I have to give you one of my monsters, so I choose to give you Soul Hunting Spirit. But remember Soul Hunting Spirit's effect? It is destroyed when targeted with a magic card. So once it is on your side of the field, it's dead."

"No! That can't be! I had you right where I wanted you!" Wave exclaimed.

"It was your own fault, discarding your whole hand against a deck that specializes on destroying your hand of all things," Miles pointed out. "Now Surprising Matasa attacks twice for the win!"

Miles: 2300

Wave: 0

"I am not accepting defeat over a game! A stupid game, of all things!" Wave yelled, grabbing his trident.

But before he could approach Miles, he froze. Then he collapsed, dead before he had known what had happened.

Anth had no time to react to this new event before Fell took his Soul Card and tore it in half. Anth bellowed loudly before vanishing.

Miles looked at Wave's dead form. "You slit his throat? That's the second time you've saved my life today… what a record. I wouldn't have been able to react fast enough to stop him."

Fell shrugged, and grabbed Wave's corpse. Then he threw it into the deep canyon.

"Well… that works…" Miles said. "It's not like we could leave it for someone to find."

"Better him than you," Gen commented.

"I'll agree with you on that one," Miles replied.

Daine went over to Fell. "I thought you wanted Miles to die?"

"…I considered letting Wave kill him, and then killing Wave," Fell replied. "But he has his uses."

"At least you acted quickly," Daine said.

"It was not hard to see what Wave's reaction would be to losing," Fell stated before he began to go back down the slope.

"Whoa, wait! Where are we going?" Miles asked as he followed.

"Probably back towards the meeting place," Gen inferred. "I doubt there would be any other Mavericks here, so why stay? We can probably reach the town before nightfall. That would be a better place to stay than out here."

"Sounds good to me," Miles said as they continued on.

To be continued…


	12. Solitary

Good grief, again I had really bad dueling errors. But they're good now so on with the chapter!

Erestor Telemnar: Yeah, Wave wasn't very good compared to the other Mavericks. Glad you enjoyed.

John: You had sanity? Oh how I envy you. Or not. Sanity is overrated.

Captain Obvious: I never saw it either, I'm just explaining where the saying came from. Thanks, I enjoyed that chapter myself. And yes, discarding all your hand is hardly ever a good idea, if ever.

Demon Fan: Whoa, take a breath there. Good for you for finishing your report, you'll see who duels soon, Demon Rue will show up eventually, and you'll see his new deck then.

**Chapter 12: Solitary**

"And here we are!" Miles announced as they stepped into the town. "It took us until nightfall to get here, but we made it!"

"I think the reason it took so long was because you slowed us down," Gen pointed out.

"You don't need to bring that up," Miles muttered.

"What will we be doing here?" Daine inquired.

"Staying in the hotel over there," Miles replied, indicating to it. "I have enough money for both of us, Fell, so don't worry about that. The Soul Monsters… well, they get in for free as long as their companion is staying. That sound alright?"

"…I would prefer to stay outside," Fell replied.

"Oh yeah. Duh." Miles smacked himself over the forehead. "I forgot that you're weird like that. Be my guest though. It saves me some cash. But where will you be? I want to know in case I need to contact you."

Fell considered for a moment, looking around the area. He quickly confirmed that nobody was around, which was not uncommon at this time of night anyway. Then, as Daine returned to his Soul Card, he went to the card shop building and jumped up onto it.

"What the… hey, wait! You can't do that!" Miles protested.

Fell showed no sign of having heard him, although Miles was sure he had. Instead, he went into one of the more concealed corners, and curled up against the short stone wall-like structures circling the whole top, closing his eyes.

"Why can't he do that?" Gen asked.

"Because it's… um… actually, that's a good point," Miles said. "I can't think of anything that says he couldn't, but it seems wrong somehow…"

Miles was cut off as the door opened, and Hector stepped out, looking quite tired. "It's almost time for me to close up. Is there something you wanted?"

"Nothing, thanks," Miles replied. "But let me give you the heads up. My… well, I don't know if I'd call him my friend… alright, my companion will be sleeping on top of your card shop. Hope you don't mind, because there's no way we'll be able to get him down. Thanks for understanding, see you later!"

Before Hector could respond, Miles grabbed Gen's arm and took off running towards the hotel.

"Huh? Hold on a second!" Hector yelled. But by then they were long gone into the building. Hector blinked a few times, and looked up at the top of the card shop. Even though he tried, he still could not make out anybody on it.

"Whatever… I think I'm getting so tired that I'm seeing and hearing things…" Hector muttered before entering his shop again.

After a few minutes from their mad dash into the hotel, Gen was finally able to catch his breath. "Was that really necessary?"

"Yep. If he doesn't like it, he can complain to Fell," Miles stated as he went up to the desk to get a room.

…..

Fell's peaceful slumber was soon broken as he awoke suddenly. He instantly got up, looking over at the direction he had heard something. As an extra precaution, he brought out his Soul Card. Daine emerged, immediately on the alert.

From the front of the building, a figure took the same route as Fell had to make it to the top. Fell instantly recognized him as he landed.

"…Sarius," he said emotionlessly.

"You don't seem surprised," Sarius stated.

"…I cannot say that I am, or am not." But something was bothering Fell. There seemed to be something… missing.

Sarius looked over the side at the town. "Nice view from here. You choose good locations to stay in."

Fell eyed him suspiciously. "Get to the point. Why are you here?"

"No time for light conversation? Very well." Sarius turned back to him. "Juno wasn't the only one who brought reinforcements. I did as well. But they are not here to kill you or your companions, like the Mavericks are. Instead, I had them go out today to test all of you. As for Larka, I do indeed want her Limiter power. The time will come when she and I will face off. I am hoping it will be sooner than later, so Juno does not get the same chance." He paused for a moment before going on. "Tell me… do you see me as an enemy?"

"…No."

"Oh? Even when I am attempting to fight your sister, who you swore to protect?"

"…"

"So then, do you think of me as an ally?"

"…No…"

"Then what do you think of me? If I am neither friend or foe, who do you assume I am?"

Fell considered the question, and after a long moment answered. "I see you as someone who is in the middle. You care about what happens with us, yet you fight against us for your own purposes. You are against Juno, but when it comes to your side and ours, you walk the fine line of neutrality…"

Sarius nodded. "You could say that. I of course want my side to win… but I do not know if you could call me your enemy. There is a reason I am the Emissary of Balance, after all."

"…You said your side was to test ours," Fell stated. "Are you here to test me?"

"Yes," Sarius replied. "I wanted to be the one to face you. I do hope you live up to my expectations."

"…I understand why you're interested in Larka now," Fell said. "But why me?"

"As I said before, you hold potential," Sarius told him as he turned on his Duel Disk. Fell did the same as Daine went to his side. Although not completely sure of what was going on, Daine held back his questions for the time being.

"Do not worry about anyone seeing our duel," Sarius said as he brought out Raid. "There is nobody in the town besides the people staying in the hotel, and I wouldn't be concerned about them intruding."

Fell nodded.

"I've already seen your skills when with your sister. But I want to see how you stand when it comes to being alone," Sarius said.

That was when Fell realized what was wrong with this situation. "Where is The Child? I have never seen you before without him…"

"He has another matter to attend to, so we had to split up," Sarius explained. "We sometimes have to every now and then, but we often do not."

"…"

"Oh, and one more thing before we begin. If I were to try to hurt your sister… would you kill me to save her?"

Fell gazed at him for a moment before responding. "…I would protect her…"

"But what if that meant killing me? What then?"

"…"

"I see. Well, enough talk. Let's begin."

Fell: 8000

Sarius: 8000

"The honors are yours," Sarius invited.

"Fine. I summon Lamp Spirit-Ra Djinn. (1800/1000) Two cards down, that is all."

"Interesting choice of a monster," Sarius commented as it appeared. "I thought you preferred Dark Main-Types with 1900 attack?"

"My deck has changed since the last time you saw it," Fell stated.

"As has mine. So we both have to be wary of each other, wouldn't you agree? I summon Wandering Hero, Freed. (1700/1200) Of course, you must remember that Raid's Deck Master ability raises all my Light and Dark Main-Types' stats by 500." (2200/1200)

"I chain to your summoning with Ambush," Fell said. "I can special summon one Dark Main-Type that is level four or lower. Call forth Blood Vors." (1900/1200)

"Ah, that's more like your old deck," Sarius nodded. "Or, at least, the Blood Vors is. Anyway, Freed attacks Blood Vors. Then I lay one card down and end my turn."

Fell: 7700

Sarius: 8000

"…Sacrifice Ra Djinn to bring out Demon Summon. (2500/1200) It attacks your Freed."

Fell: 7700

Sarius: 7700

"Now that is even more of an odd decision. Why Demon Summon of all things?" Sarius inquired.

Fell shrugged. "I am done."

But as Sarius drew, Fell flipped over two other cards. "Activate Skill Drain and Final Assault Order."

"I remember those," Sarius sighed. "Skill Drain costs you 1000 Life Points but negates all of our monsters' effects. Final Assault Order forces us to summon monsters in attack mode. Normally I would not mind that, but with Skill Drain and Demon Summon… how irritating."

Fell: 6700

Sarius: 7700

"No matter though. I can get around that soon. I summon Twilight Zone Female Warrior. (2000/2100) She would me much more useful to me if Skill Drain wasn't out… oh well. It's your turn."

Fell looked at his new card, and placed it in his Duel Disk at once. "Activate Dark Assembly Line. I choose two normal, Dark Main-Type monsters and place them into my hand. Retrieve Blood Vors and Ra Djinn. Summon Blood Vors and activate Dark Zone."

Sarius watched as the field became blackened by the dark, purple clouds that emerged over it. "A field magic card that raises all Dark Main-Types attack by 500 and lowers their defense by 400, right?"

"Yes. (3000/800) (2400/800) Demon Summon attacks, and then Blood Vors follows up. End turn."

Fell: 6700

Sarius: 4300

"That was a heavy loss, but don't get overconfident from it. Remember that Dark Zone can support me as well. I play Angel's Gift, to draw three cards and discard two others. In this case, I'll discard Turner of the Dead: Kaiku and Twilight Zone Survivor. Then I remove both Kaiku and Black Warrior Werewolf for Chaos Soldier -Messenger of Creation-. (3500/3000) He may not have an effect thanks to Skill Drain, but he's more than powerful enough to destroy your Demon Summon. I attack it, and that's all."

Fell: 6200

Sarius: 4300

Fell eyed the Chaos Soldier before drawing. Then he placed a magic card into his Duel Disk. "Activate Force. Your Chaos Soldier's attack is cut in half, and my Blood Vors' attack is increased by the amount lost." (1750/3000) (4150/800)

"I'm thrilled," Sarius said as he watched his Chaos Soldier kneel, weakened, while the Blood Vors absorbed his power.

"Then I summon Ra Djinn. (2300/600) If you cannot stop me, I have won."

"Luckily for me, I can," Sarius replied. "In response to you summoning Ra Djinn, I activate my trap card, Tidal Wave. It destroys all monsters on the field."

"…In that case, Daine will use his Deck Master ability," Fell stated.

Daine let out a long, mournful howl, and in response a Mad Dog of Darkness appeared on the field. (2400/1000)

…..

Gen was resting nearby the window in the hotel room when he distantly heard the howl.

"Daine?" He got up and looked out the window, and saw several purple clouds over where Fell had been staying. "A duel of some kind? We had better check this out." He went over to Miles, who was asleep.

"Miles! Get up!"

"No… leave me alone… I didn't steal your cookies… Al Gore did it…" Miles muttered, shifting slightly.

"This is why I hate trying to wake him up," Gen muttered before smacking him.

"Ow! What was that for?" Miles exclaimed, sitting up while holding his hand to the side of his head, where Gen had hit him.

"Fell's in a duel. We have to go and see what's up, literally."

"You've got to be kidding. It's midnight!" Miles said, pointing at the alarm clock next to him.

"Which is an ideal time for a Maverick to attack."

"I hate it when you're right," Miles grumbled, throwing off his covers. "Fine, we'll go see what's happening."

…..

"I saw that coming," Sarius muttered.

"Then attack directly, and end my turn."

Fell: 6200

Sarius: 1900

"Ah, perfect," Sarius said. "I remove Twilight Zone Female Warrior and Twilight Zone Survivor for Chaos Sorcerer. (3300/2100) Then I summon Mirage Dragon. (2100/1100) Chaos Sorcerer attacks, and then Mirage Dragon attacks directly."

Fell: 4200

Sarius: 1900

"…Lay one card face down, and summon another Ra Djinn. (2300/600) Then it will attack Mirage Dragon, and my turn is over."

Fell: 4200

Sarius: 1700

"Not good enough," Sarius told him. "I attack Ra Djinn with Chaos Sorcerer and end my turn."

Fell: 3200

Sarius: 1700

…..

Miles and Gen stopped in front of the building, unsure of what to do next.

"Well, we're here. So now what?" Miles asked.

"We can't go up there when they're in the middle of a duel, especially when the area is covered with the Dark Zone," Gen stated. "We have to wait."

"Couldn't you have let me sleep a little longer before we went out then?" Miles complained.

"Quit whining. If you want to be doing something, give Fell your support."

"When he didn't give me any? No thanks."

"Suit yourself," Gen shrugged.

…..

Despite what his Life Points were at, Fell still did not seem worried. "Activate a trap card, Mythological Age. It allows me to bring back one normal monster in defense mode. Choose Demon Summon. (3000/800) Due to Final Assault Order, he switches to attack mode though."

"Cute trick," Sarius commented as the Demon Summon rose with a snarl. "But it isn't strong enough to destroy Chaos Sorcerer."

"Activate an instant magic card, Enemy Controller, which will switch Chaos Sorcerer to defense mode…"

"…Damn it. But you still can't kill me this turn, since you only have one monster," Sarius pointed out.

"Which is why Daine will come to the field," Fell told him. Daine sprang out to the Demon Summon's side and bared his fangs. (2400/1000)

"Joy. Looks like I've lost."

"Demon Summon destroys Chaos Sorcerer, and then Daine attacks directly."

The Demon Summon brought forth several bolts of lightning, instantly reducing the Chaos Sorcerer to a smoking heap as Daine leapt at Sarius, tearing into him with his claws.

Fell: 3200

Sarius: 0

"Looks like you can win on your own too," Sarius said, shutting off his Duel Disk. "Which is good. But don't get overconfident. The next person I probably will face in your group is your sister. And believe me, that will be no test. I will not hold back for her like I did for you."

"…"

"Keep an eye out for her though. You never know what Juno may attempt next," Sarius stated before mounting Raid. "Now that I've seen what I've wanted to, I have a meeting to attend. So until later." Then Raid leapt off the building, flying away.

…..

"Hey, it's clearing up!" Miles realized as the Dark Zone vanished.

"But who won?" Gen wondered.

Suddenly, they saw Raid leap off the roof and go soaring away.

"Raid! So it was just Sarius? Dang it Gen, you made me wake up for nothing!" Miles said. "He wouldn't have killed Fell for crying out loud!"

"Well, how was I supposed to know it was Sarius? It could have been a Maverick," Gen pointed out.

"Could have been, but it wasn't. What a waste of time," Miles sighed.

"…How long have you been here?"

Miles leapt backwards with a yelp, gazing wide-eyed at Fell, who had been standing right behind him.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" Miles said, trying to catch his breath from the sudden shock. "Not too long, just enough time to see your Dark Zone and then see Sarius fly off. What happened?"

"…Nothing that concerns you." Fell then leapt back up the building.

"Real nice guy, isn't he?" Miles commented before walking back towards the hotel, with Gen following.

Fell soon reached the top, and settled back to where he had been. Daine had already gone back to his Soul Card, so he settled back into a comfortable position.

But now it was even harder for him to fall asleep than usual. Sarius had brought up an offer he really wished to consider, but Larka was the main factor that had to be thought on. What would she want to do? His decision relied solely on hers.

Feeling very uneasy about the whole matter, but still tired out from everything that had happened, he finally managed to drift off.

To be continued…


	13. Burning Determination

Hello all. I am back. –Notices everyone pointing machine guns at me- Hey, don't kill me! I finally decided to update, and you won't get it if I die first! –Waits for them all to be put away- Whew…

Anyway, I know I can be bad at updating sometimes, but this was just terrible. I meant to update on my birthday, April 29th! Instead, I go into a state of depression and bury myself into Tales of Symphonia, barely managing to put in a line a day. The chapter itself was easy to write, but the duel took forever and a day. Or, more like two months. I am deeply sorry about it.

I must complain though, I finally got the duel done only to see I did it with tons of errors. After resisting the urge to curse non-stop, I fixed it without killing the entire duel today. Whew.

Another issue was my email account. Since when do I need parental permission to use hotmail? Morons. Anyway, I switched to gmail so all should be good.

On the bright side, I'm out of school on Tuesday. That means more writing! It should go much more smoothly without school.

John: I worry about things too much. It's my nature.

Erestor Telemnar: Pure power is not always the best choice, for sure. I am a fan of Beatdown though. Kind of odd, but in video games I am always the hack and slash type. I do like writing about complex strategies, although I'm usually not the one to make them up!

Captain Obvious: Heh, yeah. Demon Summon is cool. Always did have a special spot for him. –Points at Demon Summon action figure- And a date? Will has about next to no interest in love I'm afraid!

Kinsei: Thank you for clearing that up. I apparently misheard you about how strong Gale is; he is merely ranked as third in command among the Mavericks. That list clears things up.

Demon Fan: It was personal matters, nothing about being stuck. It shouldn't be a problem from this point.

**Chapter 13: Burning Determination**

"So what is the volcano like?" Claire asked as the four members of their group headed to the part of the lake shore they would set sail at.

"Very hot," Neo replied. "That's all you need to know."

"Well, yes, it is. But there's more to it than that," Will said. "There are several areas with magma inside the volcano, and lava on the outside. I advise you watch where you walk so you don't step into it accidentally. It's got an unbearably high temperature inside, but the outside is tolerable. I'm hoping the Maverick will be outside, if there is one even there. There is no guarantee for that though. The two times we went there, we ran into no wild monsters. But that doesn't mean there are none there."

"Speaking of wild monsters, I haven't seen any at all lately," Claire commented. "Why do you think the rate of them has gone down so much? When I first came, they were all over the place!"

"It might have something to do with what the Generals of Hell did to the barrier," Perseus inferred. "Maybe the officials had to take down the encounter rate when trying to deal with the problems."

"That could be true," Will agreed. "But whatever the cause may be, it helps us. The less distractions we have, the better." He looked around at the shore. "This should be a good location to launch off."

"Do you have a vessel to ride?" Claire asked.

"Yep. Ever since we had to escape via bodies of water when fighting the Commanders of Heaven, I've made sure to keep a few Skull Blood Pirate Ships with me." Will took one out and inserted it into his Duel Disk. The ship appeared instantly.

"Looks good to me," Claire said as she boarded, along with Perseus. Will and Neo followed shortly.

Will went up to the steering wheel. "Ready to go?"

"Whenever you are," Claire answered.

"Then let's set off."

A few seconds later, they pulled away from the shore, and headed towards the volcano.

…

After an uneventful trip, they drew into sight of the island with the volcano. Claire gazed at the volcano as they came closer to a landing point. "It's huge! I can see why you would not have seen Vlad's base at first."

"Yeah…" Will seemed a bit preoccupied.

"Is something wrong?" Claire inquired, noticing his lack of attention.

"I'm still just getting a bad feeling from this, that's all," he answered. "I thought my concerns would eventually leave but I continue to be worried about something."

"You might be nervous about fighting the Maverick," Neo suggested. "If he's anything like Dark Scythe, I wouldn't blame you."

"Maybe…" Will did not seem convinced, but he let the matter drop as they got off the ship, which vanished.

"Should we go into it?" Perseus asked.

"Perhaps. I would like to look around outside first though," Will said.

They walked up towards the base of the volcano, silent and tense as they did so. Nobody seemed to be there, though.

"It doesn't seem like there is one in this location…" Claire said. "Should we try going inside now?"

Before Will could respond, Perseus turned, looking in the direction they had come. "No need to. They're out here."

They looked over to see their new opponent. He was a very large man, standing at least six feet tall. He was big enough so that a person could easily perch on his shoulders. He wore a red chest plate that covered his body from just below his neck to his waist. He also had shoulder pads made of the same smooth, red armor, along with black, fingerless gloves that had red, shackle-like wristbands. His light brown pants disappeared into greaves made by the same red armor along with knee guards that matched the rest of his ensemble. His skin was tanned, and his red hair was in a flat top cut. His eyes were a startling orange, and his expression was a stern one. Across his back, a buster sword that looked like a flame was strapped. Overall, he was quite intimidating.

The monster beside him was no less frightening though. It was a huge purple dragon that had the bottom of its neck, a few arm and leg parts, and its stomach colored light orange. Its large wings were the same purple as the rest of its body. It was completely covered with glowing red designs that seemed as though they were on fire themselves. It had five silver, sharp claws on its hands and three of the same color and quality on its feet. Its white teeth were just as keen for tearing apart its enemies. A row of purple spikes ran down the back of its neck, and it had two ears of similar shape and size as the spikes. Its black eyes glared at them, daring them to try attacking.

Perseus stepped back, watching it nervously. "A Meteor Black Dragon! I've heard of the card before, but never seen what it looked like."

"How strong is it?" Neo asked, drawing his sword.

"Too strong, especially if it is a Soul Monster, which seems to be the case here," Perseus stated. "Even if we weren't in an area it was comfortable with, it would be very highly above us strength wise. The only thing we can hope for is that it isn't an enemy."

"What are the chances of that?" Claire asked.

"Too low for my liking," Perseus admitted.

The Meteor Black Dragon looked at his companion for instructions. Although he did not say anything, the Meteor Black Dragon seemed to understand what to do. It instantly took flight, soaring above the group to spit a large fireball from its mouth, which sped towards the group.

"I'd say it's definitely an enemy!" Neo exclaimed as they dashed into the volcano, barely avoiding the explosion from the fireball.

"Indeed. So now our only option is to flee," Perseus stated. "We must go further into the volcano."

"See? We should listen to Will next time he says he has a bad feeling about something!" Neo said as they ran through the volcano, hearing the Meteor Black Dragon's heavy footsteps behind them.

"We'll keep that in mind if we get through this alive!" Claire assured.

After several twists and turns through the narrow pathway, they came into a large area that Will and Neo instantly recognized.

"This is where Max had to duel Madura!" Will said, stepping onto the edge of the rock platform. "But that means we've reached a dead end!"

"Looks like our only option is to stand and fight," Neo stated as the other three joined him on the small amount of ground.

"That won't work!" Perseus protested. "We rely on close range combat, so it can just stay at a distance while attacking us!"

"Do you have any better ideas?" Neo asked.

Perseus was about to answer, but was cut off as the Meteor Black Dragon entered, with the man following him.

Claire looked around the area. "We've trapped ourselves by coming to this ledge. Our only way out is now blocked by the Meteor Black Dragon!"

The Meteor Black Dragon seemed to have already realized that its prey was trapped. With a roar, it released another fireball.

Will got in front of the others instantly, inserting a card. A barrier sprung up in front of them as the fireball came closer. "It may not last us forever, but using Attack Nullification might buy us enough time to get out of here!"

But as the clear barrier came up, before the fireball even connected with it, a yellow circle with a red pentagram in the middle appeared below it. Yellow smoke emerged from it as it consumed the barrier, shattering it.

"A Trap Jammer? No!" Will exclaimed.

"Will! Get out of the way!" Claire shouted, seeing him in the direct line of the attack.

It was too late for Will to react though. He froze as the fireball came straight at him.

Neo sprang before he even knew what he was trying to do. He lunged at Will, knocking him out of the way of the attack. But in doing this, he was now in the fireball's path. He had no time to get out of the way before it struck him, sending him flying off the land.

Will barely knew what had happened as he fell over, feeling the heat of the attack cross over him. He forced himself to rise swiftly, and barely had time to see a last glimpse of Neo before he fell into the magma.

"Neo!" Will cried, running to the edge of the land. "NEO!"

But there was nothing left besides the magma, which smoothed over and looked as though it had never been disturbed.

"That can't be… Neo can't be dead!" Will said in despair, falling to his knees as the shock overtook him.

"Will…" Claire sat down next to him, covering her eyes with her hands. "It's no use…"

Perseus looked at the magma, stunned. "It's so sudden. I never expected this to happen… never would have thought…"

"No!" Will stared at the area Neo had fallen before bowing his head. "That's not possible… it isn't!"

Claire shook her head as she forced herself to look over at Will's form. "I'm sorry, Will…"

"N-no… why… Neo…" he managed to say before he stopped speaking, shaking silently as his tears fell.

…

All Neo could feel was a burning pain throughout his entire body. He felt as though he was completely on fire, and the heat made him unable to think of anything except that soon he would be dead. Soon nothing would remain of him, as all traces of him were burned away.

But something was not right. He had forgotten about something important, much more important than the fact that he would soon be gone. So with tremendous effort, Neo forced himself to recall what had just occurred.

Instantly, he remembered one individual.

_Will… I let myself be killed while saving Will… but it wasn't enough! He's still in danger! And there's nothing I can do… since I'm going to die anyway…_

_No!_ Neo thought fiercely, furious at himself for giving in so easily. _I've already failed Will twice! I let him be slain by Juno, and then watched him nearly die to the Black Snake Sickness. Two times I should have protected him, and I was too weak to do it! Each time, I told myself I would grow stronger to be ready for the next occasion. But it never works! Even now, when I have saved him from instant death, I'm unable to prevent him from being killed. _

_No… I can't die now! I can't die while Will still needs me! I have to live… for his sake!_

With that thought, the heat all around him grew even more intense. Neo felt it enter him, and spread as it destroyed him, bringing even more agony.

But throughout all of it, he kept his mind focused on one thought.

_I have to live for Will! I have to!_

Neo managed to keep that thought with him even as he felt the pain reach its highest point, and as he felt his body finally be burned completely away.

Then the agony began anew, as he felt the particles of himself recombine.

…

The Meteor Black Dragon had turned to the man, awaiting his next orders. Once more, the man remained silent, watching the three of them remorse. But then he nodded, and the Meteor Black Dragon went back up to its position, where it was a safe distance from them, and shot another fireball at them.

Perseus stepped back, holding out his sword futilely. "There's no way to block this one either! We're done for!"

Claire leapt up, staring at the attack as it came towards them. "Will!"

Will barely even heard her comment. But he still forced himself to look up from his kneeling position, to watch the fireball fly at them.

Suddenly, they heard something behind them. Before they could react though, a glowing orange barrier appeared in front of them. The fireball slammed into it, and dissolved.

Will turned instantly, as did Claire and Perseus, to see the new arrival. He was a humanoid monster, who wore a brown shirt, which had torn, short sleeves. He also had a long red skirt that also seemed like it had several decorative tears. Matching it was a cape that draped from his neck to his legs. He had brown boots that went up to his knees and a purple helmet that covered the top of his head, which had several spikes going down the center of it. His red hair went below his shoulders, and his orange eyes seemed as though they were on fire themselves. In his right hand, he carried a light purple staff that had a glowing orange orb at the end of it that seemed to have flames dancing in it.

Will was not sure he could believe what he was seeing, but hope rose within him instantly. "…Neo?"

"Yep! Glad I could make it back in time," Neo grinned.

"But how is this possible?" Claire asked. "We saw you fall into the magma… and thought you were dead…"

"You gave up on me that quickly?" Neo said, stepping in front of them in case the Meteor Black Dragon tried attacking again. "As if I would let myself die when you guys were still in trouble! I should be offended by the very thought of it."

"But you aren't a Magical Swordsman Neo anymore, are you?" Perseus inquired.

"Nope. I had to give up that part of me to come back," Neo explained. "Now I'm Legendary Flame Lord! Please continue to call me Neo though. I may look different and I may be a lot stronger, but I'm still the same person that you knew inside!"

Will got up, wiping away the remains of his tears with the back of his hand. "Neo…"

"Yeah?" Neo looked over at him.

"…Thank you… for living…" Will said.

Neo seemed a bit surprised, but then he smiled before turning back to the Meteor Black Dragon. "Happy to be of service!"

The Meteor Black Dragon eyed its new foe before launching another fireball.

"That's not going to work this time!" Neo shouted as the orb in his staff began to glow with an intense light. He brought it up, and with a slash through the air, sent a fireball of his own flying at the Meteor Black Dragon's attack.

The two collided, causing a large explosion in midair. The Meteor Black Dragon did not waste any time in pressing on the attack though, and spat out another fireball. Neo counter attacked again, and again the fireballs exploded. A third attack held the same results.

This time, the Meteor Black Dragon paused, and then spoke. "This is getting us nowhere."

"Glad you noticed," Neo said sarcastically.

"So, you can talk," Perseus stated, before turning to the man. "But can you? You've been silent this entire time, but I'd like some answers now. Are you a Maverick?"

"…Yes," the man replied, in a deep, calm voice. "I go by Flame Buster…"

"Flame does not prefer to talk," the Meteor Black Dragon explained. "Nor do I for that matter, but I will serve as the spokesperson here. I go by the name of Moltan."

"As you probably guessed by what he said, he's Neo," Will said. "I'm Will. Since it seems physical battles will get us nowhere, how about we duel this out?"

Flame thought for a moment, then shrugged and turned on his Duel Disk.

"Alright. If that's the case, let's begin," Will stated, walking up to the larger area of land with Neo following. Claire and Perseus came as well, but stayed at a fair distance to watch.

Will: 8000

Flame: 8000

Before Will could inquire as to who would go first, Flame laid down a monster in defense mode.

"Hey! You could have at least asked!" Neo protested.

"It doesn't matter," Will stated. "I assume you are done? If so, I lay one monster of my own. That's it."

Flame glanced at his card before laying it down in defense mode.

"I will lay two cards down, and end my turn," Will said.

Flame showed Will a magic card from his hand before playing it. A wind storm instantly appeared, shattering Will's two magic or trap cards.

"Tempest!" Will realized. "You destroyed my Black Power Stone and Hidden Tomes…"

Then Flame proceeded to play another card, one that Will recognized instantly.

"Angel's Gift. You'll draw three cards and discard two," Will said.

Flame nodded, revealing a Charred 18 and Super Hot-Blooded Batter before placing them into the Cemetery. Then he removed the Charred 18.

A flame burst up on the field. Then it grew larger, and suddenly opened its eyes.

"I've heard of this monster…" Will said. "Inferno, isn't it?" (1100/1900)

"Correct. It can only be special summoned by removing one Fire Main-Type from the Cemetery," Moltan replied.

Then Flame removed his Batter, and another Inferno sprang out.

"Double the fun," Neo said sarcastically. "Will, do you have us covered?"

"I hope so," Will responded. "But Flame isn't done yet, so I can't promise that."

Flame summoned another monster. This one was impossible to describe; at best, it could be said to be a dull, red, round creature, with a single eye in the center of it. The eye bore into them unblinkingly.

"This is Explosive Mass-Gaia Soul," (2000/0) Moltan told them. "It is a powerful force on its own, but its true strength comes from its effect."

Flame picked up his two defense monsters, revealing them to be two Prominence Dragons. Then he placed them into the Cemetery. The Gaia Soul began to glow, and absorbed the energy of the two monsters that had just vanished.

"Flame can sacrifice up to two Fire Main-Types," Moltan explained. "Gaia Soul's attack raises by 1000 times the amount of monsters sacrificed." (4000/0)

"That isn't good," Neo noted.

"You could say that," Will agreed. "My monster should protect me for this turn at least though."

Flame indicated to Will's defense monster, and the Gaia Soul immediately engulfed it. Will barely had time to see the figure of his monster before red smoke concealed it, destroying it.

"That was my Apprentice Magician," (400/800) Will said. "When it is destroyed in battle, I am allowed to special summon a level two or lower Magic User from my deck in face down defense mode. I will do so."

"An interesting way to defend yourself," Moltan stated. "But you did not account for Gaia Soul's trample ability. You lose Life Points equal to the difference of Gaia Soul's attack and your monster's defense."

"Now that I hadn't accounted for," Will winced, looking at his Life Point counter.

Will: 4800

Flame: 8000

"Nope, not good at all," Neo said.

Flame waved his hand towards an Inferno, and it reacted instantly. His new Apprentice Magician was burned to a crisp.

"The Infernos also have an effect that make your monsters do little to help," Moltan said. "For each monster Inferno destroys in battle, you lose 1500 Life Points."

"Argh… that means I'm going to lose 3000 Life Points," Will winced as he placed another Apprentice Magician face down on the field.

As that one was destroyed by the other Inferno, Will said, "I'm not special summoning another monster. It's too risky."

Will: 1800

Flame: 8000

Neo looked over at Will's Life Point counter as well, and whistled. "Ouch! I'd say that if we are going to make a comeback, we had better do it pretty quickly."

"No, really?" Will muttered sarcastically.

"Fortunately for the two of you, Gaia Soul is destroyed during the end phase," Moltan said as the monster dissolved. "Go ahead and take your turn."

Will looked at his hand. "We got lucky that I had those monsters, nevertheless. That could have finished me off if I hadn't had them."

"It won't mean much if we can't eliminate those Infernos post-haste," Neo pointed out.

"Which is why I will do just that," Will said. "I summon Blood Magician -Magician of Purgatory-!" (1400/1700)

A magician in blood red armor appeared before them, carrying a staff. His pale skin was barely visible from underneath his curved helmet, but his eyes were concealed. He carried a double-bladed scythe-like weapon with a red jewel in the center of the blade.

"I've never seen you use that monster," Claire commented.

"He's a recent addition, but a very useful one at that," Will told her. "Just watch. I'm going to activate a magic card now, Jar of Greed. I draw two cards. Then I use Clarity of Mind, to get another from my deck. That means my Blood Magician has two magic counters, so now I can use his effect. I remove both of my magic counters. Each magic counter counts as 700 attack points added to a total. So multiply that by two-it equals 1400 attack power. That means I can destroy one monster on your field that has 1400 attack points or less, so your Inferno is toast."

"Nice pun," Neo joked as the Inferno vanished.

"Be quiet," Will muttered, before raising his voice again. "I'll then activate Power of Magicians, raising my Blood Magician's stats by 500 for every magic or trap card I have on the field. I lay one card face down. (2400/2700) He attacks Inferno! I end my turn at that."

Will: 1800

Flame: 6700

Flame pondered for a moment, and then summoned a UFO Turtle. (1400/1200) Then he laid two cards down, and ended his turn.

"I don't trust this," Will stated as he drew. "It would be better off if we could eliminate that thing using Blood Magician's effect, but he does not have enough magic counters."

"Then let's make it so that he does!" Neo said, waving his staff. A stream of fire emerged from it, encircling the Blood Magician before vanishing. The Blood Magician grew red briefly, and then returned to normal.

"Of course… now that you're a new monster, you have a different Deck Master ability," Will stated.

"Right!" Neo confirmed. "Each one of your standby phases, you have the choice to add a magic counter to a card that uses them."

"Simple, yet effective," Will said. "I remove both of my magic counters to destroy your UFO Turtle. Then… I'll take the risk of attacking directly!"

Flame flipped over his trap card, revealing an oversized red pot with a sneering face.

"Vase of Greed?" Will said.

"It allows Flame to draw one card," Moltan stated as Flame did so. "Your attack goes through."

Will: 1800

Flame: 4300

"Why use Vase of Greed?" Will wondered, shaking his head. "I end my turn by placing one monster in defense mode."

Flame laid a card down, and then activated Cry of the Living Dead bringing back UFO Turtle. Then he gestured, signaling that his turn was over.

"That's why you didn't worry about me destroying it before," Will realized. "This time, I have no way to destroy it except by battle. Well, I'll still give Blood Magician a magic counter with Neo's Deck Master ability. Then I'll flip summon my Skilled Black Magician, and summon another one. (1900/1700) Blood Magician attacks your UFO Turtle!"

Flame flipped over his card as the Blood Magician hacked apart the UFO Turtle. A ball of fire came out of it, slamming into Will.

"Will! What was that?" Neo exclaimed.

"A permanent trap card called Backfire," Moltan said. "Every time you destroy a Fire Main-Type, you lose 500 Life Points. Also, UFO Turtle was destroyed in battle, so Flame can special summon a Fire Main-Type with 1500 attack or less." Another UFO Turtle appeared on the field.

"This is not going to end well…" Will stated. "But I have to do this! Skilled Black Magician attacks the second UFO Turtle!"

"Will, stop! We don't have the Life Points to gamble like this!" Neo protested.

As he was hit again, another UFO Turtle appeared. Ignoring Neo, Will said, "My other Skilled Black Magician will take that one out!"

Will: 300

Flame: 2300

This time, a Little Chimera emerged. (600/550) Its attack suddenly rose though. (1100/550)

"Little Chimera's effect raises all Fire Main-Types' attack strengths by 500," Moltan explained.

Will regarded it warily, and then said, "I end my turn."

Flame glanced at his card, and then pointed at a Skilled Black Magician. The Little Chimera sprang at it with a yowl.

"What is he doing?" Claire asked. "That's suicide!"

"And it will be the end of Will if it dies," Perseus said grimly. "Backfire will finish off his remaining Life Points!"

"Not this time!" Will declared, flipping over his card. "I activate Magic Cylinder, to negate the attack and deal damage equal to its strength to you!"

Will: 300

Flame: 1700

Neo wiped his forehead. "Whew, that was close. Sorry for criticizing you, I had completely overlooked that."

Flame laid another card down and ended his turn. After Neo added another magic counter to Blood Magician, Will looked over at the Backfire card. "That needs to go before I do anything else. I'll summon Hannibal Necromancer! (1400/1800) When normally summoned, it gets a magic counter. I can remove that counter to destroy a permanent trap card, so I will have it destroy Backfire! I'll first have Blood Magician's two magic counters removed, to destroy Little Chimera. Then Blood Magician attacks!"

As the Blood Magician lunged forward, three women in blue surrounded Flame, causing the blow to do no harm. Will raised an eyebrow. "Emissary of Harmony?"

"That doesn't really fit you," Perseus commented.

Flame shrugged as Moltan said, "Juno made this deck. We had no say in it."

"Juno would put a card with the word Harmony in it in a deck? Hard to believe," Neo commented. "Will, is that all we're going to do?"

"Yes, I'm done," Will said.

Flame thought for a moment, and then summoned another Little Chimera. (1100/550) He also played a magic card. The magma inside the volcano suddenly began to glow a violent red.

"This field card, called Burning Blood, raises all Fire Main-Type's attacks by 500 and lowers their defense by 400," Moltan said. (1600/150) "Normally, the field would change, but it seems we are already in the perfect conditions for it."

Then the Little Chimera ran up to the Hannibal Necromancer, slicing it apart with razor-sharp teeth and claws.

Will: 100

Flame: 1700

Moltan suddenly raised his head, and spat out a huge fireball. It engulfed Will's three other monsters, burning them to ash instantly.

"What was that?" Neo exclaimed.

"My Deck Master ability can be activated if a monster of yours is destroyed in battle," Moltan said. "By paying 1000 Life Points, all of your monsters with that same Sub-Type are destroyed. The battle phase also ends, but in this case that did not matter."

Will: 100

Flame: 700

"Hm… are you done?" Will asked.

Flame nodded.

"I summon Magic Warrior: Breaker. (1900/1000) He attacks Little Chimera! Then I remove his magic counter to destroy your Burning Blood. (1600/1000) I lay two cards face down and end my turn."

Will: 100

Flame: 400

"This is too close!" Claire said nervously.

"It has been close for a while," Perseus pointed out.

"Yes, true, I just didn't bring it up until now…" Claire replied, clasping her hands nervously. "I can barely bring myself to watch…"

Flame played Jar of Greed, and drew two cards. Then he played Rebirth of the Dead, discarding a card in his hand to take a monster from his Cemetery. He summoned it instantly.

"Prominence Dragon," (1500/1000) Moltan said.

"Does it have an effect?" Will asked.

"Yes. It deals 500 damage to your Life Points each End Phase Flame has," Moltan replied.

"…In that case, you are not getting away with that," Will said. "I activate Tidal Wave, destroying all of our monsters. I assume you are done?"

Flame showed him an empty hand before gesturing.

"Nothing left for you to do. Same here…" Will said, looking over his final two cards. "I can't summon anything…"

"What am I, chopped liver?" Neo asked crossly.

"Oh, right," Will said, shaking his head. "I should have remembered sooner. I'll summon Neo to the field! He attacks for the win!"

"Time for revenge!" Neo yelled, shooting a large fireball at Flame. He stumbled back, but regained his footing swiftly.

Will: 100

Flame: 0

"…Well done," Flame stated, shutting off his Duel Disk.

"Did he just say something? I'm dreaming," Neo said.

Flame turned, and walked out of the room. Moltan remained behind though. "It has been a while since Flame has had such opponents. To be honest, he seemed a bit skeptical about playing with cards. It seems that even games such as this have many emotions wrapped in it though. We will not come up against you again, but others will. Stay prepared for them."

"Thanks," Will said. "Farewell to both of you then."

"Same to you," Moltan replied, leaving as well.

When he was gone, Claire and Perseus went up to them. Claire looked over them. "You're both ok?"

"Yes," Will answered. "It could have been a lot worse."

"Like having Neo be dead for good," Perseus said dryly.

"No kidding," Neo shuddered. "I don't want to go through that again."

"How did you survive?" Perseus asked.

"Determination alone. I've failed twice; I couldn't let Will down again," Neo said.

"You felt so strongly about that that you could avoid death?" Will said in amazement.

"That's the only way I can explain it," Neo replied. "Now that I'm in this form, maybe I'll be worthy of some faith."

"You've got it all wrong," Will said, eyes glistening. "I had complete faith in you from the start. This only served to reinforce it."

"…Thanks. That means a lot," Neo said softly.  
There was an uncomfortable silence that Claire soon broke by indicating to the exit. "Should we leave too?"

"There's no reason to stay here," Will agreed. "We got the Maverick in this area. Let's go to the town. It would be safer than remaining in the open. Don't worry about the cost, I'll pay."

"All right," Claire said as they left the room.

To be continued…


	14. Proving Oneself

See, what'd I tell you? I'm back to frequent updates! I thought this chapter would be difficult to get through, but luckily I was wrong. Onward!

Moonjava: Thanks. It's nice to see a new reviewer!

John: Yeah, his effect does go with it better now.

**Chapter 14: Proving Oneself**

The trip back through the volcano was made in silence, as each of them was wrapped in their own thoughts. Despite that, they were all relieved to finally get out of the heated area. Well, except for one of them.

"It feels kind of strange to say this, but I liked being in there," Neo commented, looking back at it.

"You're a Fire Main-Type now, so it makes sense," Perseus stated.

"We'll have to adapt to many changes now," Will said.

"Yeah. Since my attacks are very different now, I'll have to handle battles differently, along with other matters." Neo grinned mischievously. "I can think of some things right off the top of my head…"

Will covered his eyes with his hands. "No, no, no. You are not even going ten feet near any kitchen now! I thought you were bad before, but now those minor explosions will be enough to engulf a whole house with your new power!"

"You don't honestly think I would do such a thing, do you?" Neo asked innocently.

"Actually, yes I do," Will said. "I think I'll move my hose into the house for two reasons. One, in case you start the kitchen on fire, and two, so I can spray you with it if I see you get too close."

"You're just as compassionate as ever," Neo grinned.

"If you call that compassion, what do you call hatred?" Claire inquired.

"I'd say hatred is what Will did to me when I messed with the stove," Neo said sheepishly.

"Don't even remind me of that," Will growled.

Claire recalled the expression Zack had had when he had mentioned that, and decided that dropping the subject would be wise. "It seems Flame and Moltan have already left."

"Moltan could fly, Flame probably hitched a ride on him," Neo shrugged. "If so, then it's perfectly reasonable that they're long gone. We, on the other hand, will have to take the ship."

"Don't fall into the water," Perseus advised as they went towards the edge of the island.

Neo winced. "I have done that a few times in the past, actually. Maybe this new form will bless me with some sort of grace?"

"I wouldn't hold my breath," Perseus replied.

"Thanks for that bit of confidence," Neo said sarcastically.

Will suddenly halted, staring ahead. Claire looked over at him, confused. "Why did we stop?"

"It seems we aren't done here yet," Will said, indicating to where he was looking.

Before them was The Child, holding onto his golden ball. Beside him stood Cyrus, who held his sword at his side.

"Something is wrong about this," Neo commented.

"The number of people," Will replied.

"Huh?" Neo asked. "Could you elaborate?"

"When have we seen The Child without Sarius? That's right-never," Will pointed out. "Yet he's here, alone except for Cyrus."

"Do you think it will be all right?" Claire asked.

"I don't know if I can say that Sarius and The Child are on our side, but they certainly seem to be supporting us more than Juno," Will stated. "I doubt he's intending to harm us. Let's see what he wants."

None of the others objected, so they went up to the two of them. The Child regarded them, and then softly said, "Konnichiwa."

"Hi to you as well," Will said. "Why are you here?"

The Child did not answer, but Cyrus was willing to explain. "Lord Tirran requested that we be the ones to test you."

"Hm? Test us?" Perseus inquired.

"Yes. Lord Tirran wishes to know how capable you are of going against the Mavericks, and then matters afterwards," Cyrus stated.

"What did you mean by 'we be the ones to test you'?" Will asked. "It sounds as though you had competitors for that position."

"We have allies that will be testing your friends as well," Cyrus said. "Do not worry; we are not fighting against you for death… yet. As long as they can stand up to the Mavericks, they will not be in any danger."

"I see. Do you care about which of us faces you?" Will asked.

"No," Cyrus answered.

Will glanced over at Claire. "So, do you want me to duel him?"

To his surprise, Claire shook her head. "I will."

"Really? Usually, you prefer not to be the one to duel unless necessary," Will said.

Claire looked down. "Yes… but for a while, I have felt as though I have not done much of anything. I've been… useless. I want to prove to myself that I can help. Also, you just dueled Flame. It isn't fair that you should have to fight twice in a row."

"If that is what you want," Will said, stepping aside. Neo followed him, while Perseus went to Claire's side.

"It seems we do not need to introduce ourselves, so shall we get to the heart of it?" Perseus suggested.

The Child nodded, and both the duelists activated their Duel Disks.

As Will watched them, he suddenly sensed something. He looked towards the golden ball in The Child's hands. It seemed to almost be glowing. But when he looked again, it didn't look any different than usual.

_Was I just imagining things? _Will wondered as they began.

Claire: 8000

Child: 8000

The Child pointed at himself.

"Sure, I don't mind who goes first," Claire shrugged.

He placed a monster in defense mode and two cards face down, and then indicated that his turn was over.

"I'll do as you did, by laying a monster in defense mode and a card face down. That's it," Claire said.

The Child flipped over his face down monster, revealing a White Ninja. (1500/800) It glanced at Claire's defense monster, and then threw several throwing stars at it, piercing through it instantly.

Claire stared as her Marshmallon (300/500) faded away. "What happened?"

"That is White Ninja's reverse effect," Cyrus explained. "He destroys one of your defense monsters."

The Child then summoned what Claire recognized to be a Swift Black Ninja. (1700/1200) After doing so, he played Angel's Gift, drawing three. After showing her two Twilight Zone Observation Machines, (800/1200) he slid them into the Cemetery. He then gestured to her, and the monsters leapt up, hurling their throwing stars at her.

"I activate Drain Shield on your Swift Black Ninja's attack!" Claire declared. "It negates the attack and lets me gain Life Points equal to the attack."

The Swift Black Ninja's throwing stars were absorbed into the Drain Shield, but the White Ninja's attack still went through, piercing into her.

Claire: 8200

Child: 8000

Claire thought for a moment. "Hm, two Twilight Zone Observation Machines… that means you can't bring out a Chaos monster, yet. If your White Ninja is destroyed though, that could cause a problem… I'll dispose of your Swift Black Ninja first! I summon Warrior of Zera! (1600/1600) Then I play a field magic card, Sanctuary of the Sky!"

The Child glanced around as the temple emerged amongst newly-formed clouds, but did not seem concerned.

"I will then sacrifice Warrior of Zera to special summon Archangel Zeraato!" (2800/2300)

This time, The Child activated a face down card. A rush of water came flying at the monsters. The Swift Black Ninja vanished right before the wave hit the White Ninja and Archangel Zeraato, destroying them instantly.

"Tidal Wave!" Claire groaned.

"But what happened to the Swift Black Ninja?" Perseus asked.

"By removing two Dark Main-Types from the Cemetery, Swift Black Ninja is removed from the game for this turn," Cyrus explained. "He will return to the field at the end phase. So the two Twilight Zone Observation Machines were removed for the requirements."

"I remember that now!" Claire said. "Xion used that ability against Will."

"Yeah, although his Deck Master allowed him to remove any Sub-Type," Will stated. "That duel was an interesting one."

"And a painful one," Neo winced.

"Recalling how it felt to smash into countless trees?" Will grinned.

"Unfortunately," Neo sighed.

"Anyway, I'm done, after I lay one card face down," Claire said.

As she said this, the Swift Black Ninja appeared, along with the two Twilight Zone Observation Machines.

"What? How…?" Claire trailed off as Cyrus answered her unfinished question.

"When Twilight Zone Observation Machine is removed from the game, it is special summoned to the field at the end phase of that turn."

The Child summoned Twilight Zone Survivor. (1800/200) Then he activated his other face down card. A ring of grenades surrounded the Twilight Zone Survivor, blasting it apart.

"Destruction Ring!" Claire realized. "You killed your own monster to deal damage to both of us? But you had an open attack. There's no reason you would do that, unless…"

Claire: 6400

Child: 6200

The Child proceeded to remove his Twilight Zone Survivor and White Ninja, and special summoned Chaos Soldier –Messenger of Creation-. (3000/2500)

"Bad situation," Neo winced.

"Don't make understatements," Will muttered.

Claire could barely bring herself to breathe. _If he brings out Cyrus, he's won. It all depends on whether or not he's going to risk activating my trap card…_

The Child paused for a minute, and then pointed at Claire. The monsters unleashed their attacks at once.

Claire: 100

Child: 6200

"Thank goodness…" Claire sighed. "I was afraid I was done for."

The Child looked at his hand, and then signaled the end of his turn.

"Now I have a chance to make a comeback," Claire said. "First, I play Jar of Greed… excellent! This works perfectly! Now I summon Mudora! (1500/1800) Its attack is raised by 200 for each Angel Sub-Type in my Cemetery, so due to my Marshmallon and Archangel Zeraato, its attack goes up by 400! (1900/1800) I also play Angel's Gift, to draw three and discard two! I choose to discard Kelbek and Zolga, which raises Mudora's attack by another 400 points! (2300/1800) Then I play Theft! This equip magic card allows me to take control of your Chaos Soldier. I attack your Swift Black Ninja with Mudora! Also, Perseus' Deck Master ability comes into play. I select one Angel Sub-Type monster, and it gains a trample ability. If it does damage to your Life Points, I draw a card." She did so, and then looked over at the Chaos Soldier. "Does he have an effect?"

"You can remove a monster from the game with his effect, and skip your battle phase," Cyrus stated. "Your other option is to attack twice."

"Then I know what I want!" Claire said. "I attack both Twilight Zone Observation Machines with Chaos Soldier!"

Claire: 100

Child: 1200

"Normally, when it is your standby phase, you'd get 1000 Life Points for Theft," Claire said. "I don't want that to happen though. I'm also wary of leaving Chaos Soldier on the field, when you could so easily get it back. Therefore, I'm going to activate a magic card, Mysterious Chinese Nabe! I sacrifice a monster on my side of the field, and choose attack or defense. In this case, I choose attack. I then gain Life Points equal to what I chose."

Claire: 3100

Child: 1200

"What a turn around!" Neo said.

"All we can hope is that The Child won't twist it back to his favor…" Will said.

The Child eyed her field, and then looked at his hand. He pondered for a moment, and then gestured to Cyrus. He obediently went onto the field, and then pointed his sword at Mudora. A black vortex emerged, swallowing up the monster.

_He's still not going to gamble an attack…_ Claire realized. _I have to finish this next turn though, or else he'll recover enough to finish me off._

Claire drew slowly, and sighed in relief as she saw what it was. "I have won."

"Nani?" The Child said, still in his quiet tone.

"That means what," Will translated at Claire's inquiring glance.

"Oh. Well, just watch. I activate my magic card, Stealing Goblin! This causes you to lose 500 Life Points, while I gain 500 Life Points."

Claire: 3600

Child: 700

"Then I lay one monster in defense mode, and activate my trap card, Ceasefire Treaty! It reveals all face down monsters, so my Kelbek is revealed. (1500/1800) Also, for each effect monster on the field, you lose 500 Life Points. Due to my Kelbek and Cyrus, you lose 1000 Life Points!"

Claire: 3600

Child: 0

"Omedeto," The Child said softly, shutting off his Duel Disk.

"Congratulations, I assume," Will stated.

"Thanks," Claire smiled. "I guess I am able to win a few, after all."

"Hai. Anata wa i," The Child replied.

"Don't look at me for that one," Will said.

"Yes, you are good," Cyrus interpreted.

"Oh. Thanks again," Claire said.

The Child nodded, and then went towards the volcano, Cyrus following.

"How are you going to get off this island?" Neo asked.

"Tirran-sama," The Child said simply. "Ja ne minna." He continued towards his destination, not looking back.

"He'll be fine," Perseus assured. "Let's take the ship to the hotel now. As it stands now, it will be dark before we get back. We don't want to be out much later than we have to be."

"Right," Will nodded. "We'll depart now."

…

The Child watched the ship depart from the island from his high perch on top of the volcano's crater. Then he looked at the golden ball in his hands, which pulsed with light for a few seconds. Then it faded away.

"Kare no dess," he said softly. "Kare shinzo sakebu e sore."

Cyrus glanced over at him. "Master?"

"Sore wa nanimo…" The Child trailed off, looking up to the sky.

They remained there, in a peaceful silence, until it was the dead of night. They watched the moon and stars, content in the tranquil darkness.

Suddenly, the quiet was broken by the flapping of wings. A large form flew towards them, descending rapidly.

They got up instantly, going over to where Raid had landed. He hissed gently, looking over at the two of them as Sarius leapt down.

"So, did they come?" Sarius asked.

"Hai."

"Which one fell to them?"

"Flame Buster," Cyrus answered.

"That makes sense…" Sarius stated. "And you faced them?"

"Hai."

"He dueled Claire. Will was the one to defeat Flame Buster," Cyrus said.

"I see. Did you win?"

"Ie."

"Same here," Sarius smiled. "I do not know how the others fared, but I am sure they will all be capable. Even those that lost this time will prevail on their second try. They will have to; they will not earn another from me, or from the Mavericks."

"Hai."

Sarius thought for a moment, and then took The Child around the waist and climbed onto Raid. Cyrus mounted him as well. "We will leave now, and report back to the church. Is that fine?"

"Hai." The Child gazed at the golden ball. "Tirran-sama…"

"If you have any more details, let's hear them when we get back, all right?" Sarius said.

"Hai…"

Sarius paused, and then smiled. "I'm glad to be reunited with you."

The Child smiled back at him. "Watashi mo."

Then Raid took off, flying away from the island, leaving it deserted.

…

"That was one long trip back!" Claire commented as they disembarked from the ship. It was already rather late, and it would still take them some time to walk to town.

"Well, we're nearly there," Will replied as they headed in the direction of the town.

They finally made it, and walked down the empty streets to the hotel. The silence was so absolute that it was eerie, so they were all secretly relieved when they finally saw the lights of the hotel.

As they entered, the woman at the desk looked up, examining them. "Welcome. Do you wish to stay the night?"

"Yes," Will said, pulling out some money.

After the fees were taken care of, they went towards the hall, but the woman suddenly stopped them. "Do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Sure," Neo responded. "What is it?"

"I heard the loudest of howls out there, and at this time of night!" the woman said in bewilderment. "I thought it might be a wild monster. Did you hear anything?"

Will blinked. "I'm sorry, but we just arrived here."

"Oh, ok. I was just wondering…" The woman stifled a yawn. "Then go on. Good night."

They glanced at each other as they went up the stairs, to the second floor. "A howl? Maybe Malon came to eat us in our sleep," Neo joked.

"It was probably nothing," Claire shrugged, stopping at her room. "See you in the morning, Will. Should we get up around eight?"

"Yes, that would work. Good night," he replied, heading into his own room.

To be continued…


	15. Love's Sacrifices

I'm sorry this chapter took so much time, but it was quite a long one! I really like how most of it turned out, so yay for that. Let's get on with it!

Moonjava: Thanks.

Captain Obvious: My foot is already sprained, it doesn't need to be broken. Still, nice to know you care. Yes, Sarius and Cyrus had to learn Japanese fast to deal with The Child, heh.

John: Claire finally gets to win another duel, and I actually hate Family Guy. Sorry.

P: Hey, you're back! I've been wondering where you ran off to. It's nice to see you again. Thanks for the compliments, I'm glad you enjoy those points of my writing. I wish I could have Teknisk Wereld become an anime! Believe me, I've wanted that for quite some time. Ah well, I can dream, right?

Demon Fan: Not quite. There are a few transformations of sorts, but Deck Masters don't evolve. It won't happen very often, if it even happens at all later.

**Chapter 15: Love's Sacrifices**

_Larka stood there, frozen, as a golden monster rose in front of her.__ It was the same as the picture they had seen in the church. Will was petrified by its fierce, gleaming, red eyes that caught him in their deadly gaze. It could be nothing but Ra._

_Despite this, he could see a figure behind it. Why did he seem familiar?_

_Then, he heard someone come up from behind him. He turned, to see The Child._

_"Kare no dess," he whispered. "Kare shinzo sakebu e sore."_

_Then he heard the figure speak._

_"It is his… his heart cries out to it…"_

_That voice… it had to belong to…_

"We're being attacked!" Neo yelped, leaping up from the corner where he had been sleeping.

Will bolted upright, panting. He looked over at the alarm clock, which was beeping loudly. The time read 8:00 AM.

"It's the alarm, you idiot," Will grumbled, pushing a button on it to shut it off.

"Oops," Neo said sheepishly. "I'm not used to alarm clocks waking me up…"

"Nor am I. Usually, it's you blowing up some random kitchen utensil or another," Will said in disgust, getting out of bed. "Thanks for interrupting the dream I was having."

"Sorry… can you remember what it was about?" Neo asked.

"I saw Ra," Will said. "He was rising in front of Larka. Then The Child spoke to me. And then someone else was talking… I was about to recognize his voice, but I lost it the moment I woke up."

"I guess that's my fault, huh?" Neo said.

"Not completely," Will shrugged, throwing the covers over his bed. "The alarm would have woken me up anyway. Anyway, we should go outside and meet Claire."

"Right," Neo agreed.

They stepped outside, and began walking down the hallway, when suddenly a door opened and someone else rushed out of the respective room. The person slammed into Will, sending them both staggering back.

"Ow… sorry…" Miles apologized, rubbing his forehead as he looked up at Will. For a few seconds, they stared at each other, before they both jumped back with cries of, "It's you!"

Miles couldn't help but follow up with, "How are you gentlemen, all your base are belong to us."

Will brought out his book and smacked Miles over the head with it. "We don't need any Zero Wing jokes."

"Sorry, I had to say that," Miles said, wincing as he lightly touched his head. "You're going to kill someone with your book beatings one of these days!"

"No, I will merely cause an appropriate amount of pain. Enough on that though. What were you doing here?" Will asked.

"I spent the night here; it seemed safer than staying outside," Miles explained. "Although Fell decided to sleep on a roof like usual though, the lunatic."

"In other words, we are fine," Gen said, coming out into the hallway too. "But what about you? I assume you stayed here for the same reason, but where are Claire, Perseus, and Neo?"

"Geez, it's not like I'm invisible or something!" Neo complained, stepping out from behind Will.

Miles raised an eyebrow. "Who are you supposed to be, besides being someone behind in the times clothing-wise?"

"Don't make me roast you," Neo threatened.

"I'm surprised you didn't recognize him, since he kept his attitude," Will said dryly. "This is Neo."

"What? You've gotta be kidding me!" Miles exclaimed, stepping back.

A door opened, and a phonebook flew out, hitting Miles over the head. "Keep it down, you brats! It's still early!" they heard a man from inside the room complain before he shut his door.

"Are books just out to get me today or something?" Miles complained as he picked up the phonebook and then set it outside of the man's door. "It wasn't even a Yellow Book… no wonder the guy wanted to get rid of it."

"You have quite a memory for older commercials," Will commented.

"What's all the commotion?" Claire asked sleepily, coming out of her room with Perseus following. Then she rubbed her eyes, blinking. "Miles?"

"The residents of the hotel want us to talk elsewhere," Will stated. "Let's go outside."

"I won't argue with that idea," Miles commented as they went down the stairs.

They walked outside of the hotel. Miles looked around, and then indicated to Hector's card shop. "I'd like to get Fell to come with us before we discuss anything."

"Sure," Will said.

"You mean Fell slept on top of Hector's card shop?" Claire asked, looking astonished with the idea of it. She pointed to Hector, who was walking towards the door to open it for the day. "And Hector didn't object to it?"

"Well, you see, he didn't exactly know that his roof was being used as a bed…" Miles began.

That was when a black blur leapt off the top of the card shop. Unfortunately, Fell had chosen to descend at exactly the wrong time. He landed right on Hector, sending them both crashing to the ground.

"Ouch," Miles cringed. "And I thought I was in pain."

Fell didn't stick around; he instantly leapt off Hector and bolted away, right past the bewildered group. Hector staggered upright, but by then Fell was long gone. "Who the hell was that?"

"Sorry Hector, can't help you, hope you're all right, we've got business to take care of, ok, thanks, bye!" Miles said in a jumbled rush before grabbing Claire's arm and pulling her away as he ran after Fell. Will glanced at Hector one more time before following them, with the Soul Monsters coming as well.

"Hey! Hold on! I want an explanation!" Hector protested. Yet again though, he was left alone to deal with his confusion as the group dashed off. He felt his back with a grimace, and walked into the card shop. "Never mind then, they can tell me next time if they're in such a hurry. It's too early to be racing around the streets. Man, I need some coffee…"

The group quickly made it outside of town, where they saw Fell and Daine, who had come out of his Soul Card. Daine was saying, "You landed right on him? Really?"

"I would prefer not to speak of it," Fell muttered.

"Way to go, my ever so graceful companion!" Miles joked as they came up.

"I have not forgotten my desire to kill you," Fell stated. "Do not provoke me into actually doing it."

"Good morning to you too, Mr. Sunshine," Miles responded cheerfully.

Gen looked over Neo. "How did you become like this?"

Daine took a curious sniff. "Neo? Is that you?"

"Finally, someone recognizes me!" Neo said.

"It would be much easier if we could all exchange reports when the entire group has met up," Will told them. "Let's go there first, and then we can talk."

Miles shrugged. "If that's what you want."

With that, they set off towards their designated location.

…

Ruecian tried to shake Rue awake, but soon gave up. He knew more than anyone else, except perhaps Claire, about how heavy of a sleeper Rue was. Instead, he smacked Rue over the head.

"Ouch!" Rue yelped, sitting up at once. He glared at Ruecian. "Did you have to do that?"

"What did you do this time?" Draken asked, opening his eyes.

"Apparently, sleeping was something I deserved to be hit for," Rue said.

"No, the problem was that there was no other way to wake you up," Darche stated. "Ruecian tried to be gentle about it, but you weren't even stirring."

"Bah, nothing new there," Rue growled as he got up. "He's always violent about getting me up. I keep asking him to use a less painful method, but he won't hear for it."

Ruecian shook his head in exasperation before stepping outside. The others followed him.

"We should get to the meeting area right away," Darche said, holding up his sword. It began to glow blue, and after a few minutes, two Blue Eyes White Dragons landed in front of them.

"You are not going to do what you did to me yesterday," Rue told Draken.

"All right, all right," Draken grinned. "It was just a joke; you don't have to bite my head off."

"I'm sure," Rue muttered, getting on one of the Blue Eyes with Ruecian. Draken and Darche mounted the other, and they took off.

As they soared over the mountains, Draken caught sight of another figure flying by a short distance away that he instantly recognized. He took a deep breath, and then yelled at the top of his lungs, "KAZEL!"

Rue nearly fell off of his Blue Eyes in shock. "Hey! You could have warned me!"

"Sorry, but I had to get her attention quickly," Draken said as the Red Eyes turned and began flying towards them.

Kazel drew up next to them, with Kisara and Amy on her back. Amy currently had her head buried in Kazel's back, so Kisara called over to them. "Draken! Rue!"

"It is good to see all of you again," Kazel greeted. "Shall we head to the meeting area?"

"Right away!" Draken responded. Then he grinned mischievously. "Hey, want to race to see who gets there first?"

"No!" Rue and Amy chorused.

Kazel considered, and then bared her teeth in a fierce smile. "I like that idea! I haven't had the chance to try some fast flying for a while. Ready?"

"Let's go!" Draken yelled, and the three dragons put on a sudden burst of speed, zooming across the sky towards the lake.

…

Zack came to in an instant. He looked around swiftly, and confirmed that he had not been awoken by anyone approaching. Instead, he had set himself to rise at eight, so that must have been the factor that caused his rest to be broken.

He looked to his side, and was surprised to see that Larka had not stirred at all the entire night. She was still asleep against him, underneath his arm, with a small smile. In her lap, Malon lay slumbering, curled up into a furry ball.

Zack had not had many chances to see Larka when she was asleep. As he looked at her now though, he was struck by just how beautiful she was. Her slim, fit form… her delicate hands, despite her claw-like fingernails… her silver hair, which glistened from the sunlight coming through the stained glass of the early morning… even her abnormal ears, which were unhidden by her hair as she slept, added to her charm. Normally, yellow eyes such as hers would have made her appearance eerie. But they so openly displayed her emotions-her happy nature, her kindness, her caring-that one could only think of them as the perfect addition to her.

Zack shook his head, disturbed at where his thoughts were turning to. _When was the last time I considered things such as this?_

He did not want to destroy this moment of peace, but he knew there was no choice. So he reluctantly shook her shoulder. "Larka."

Her eyes opened slowly. "Zack? Is it morning?" Malon, awoken by their voices, jumped out of her lap and stretched, yawning.

"Yes. It is about eight, so we have an hour to reach the meeting area," Zack stated, rising. Larka followed suit.

"Are you all right now? Do you still hurt anywhere?" Larka asked worriedly.

"No, I've completely recovered," Zack replied.

Larka smiled at him. "That's a relief. I should have known, but I couldn't help but be concerned."

Zack wasn't sure how he wanted to respond to that; if he had not had his heart replaced by mechanical parts, he was sure its rate would have gone way up. Luckily for him, Malon chose this moment to run out of the room, whining excitedly.

"Malon!" Larka called, exasperated. "Even this early in the morning, he's full of energy!" Then she ran after him.

Zack looked around at the stained glass windows. "…I have to say something. I can't stay silent. My feelings are clawing at me. If I ignore them, I will be no better than those machine soldiers that were modeled after me."

Thinking over this, he went to the hall, walking on until he was outside. Larka was there, holding onto a squirming Malon. She looked over at him.

"Zack, I just realized that we have a problem when it comes to leaving," she said.

"What is it?" Zack asked.

"How will we get down?" Larka inquired. "We used a tablet of some kind to warp to this location. There's nothing like that here though. We have no cards that can fly us down. So what can we do?"

Zack sighed. "I should have thought of preparing for something like this…"

"It's not your fault," Larka protested. "I'm sure we can think of something!"

Zack pondered for a moment. "I can only see one way out of this."

"What do you mean?" Larka asked.

"We wait," Zack said simply. "The rest of the group knows we went here. If we don't come back, they will become concerned, and eventually come to check on us. We can ask for a lift down then. I'm sure Draken at least could help."

"I guess we have no choice," Larka agreed. "So what will we do in the meantime?"

Zack hesitated, and then said, "If you do not mind, I wish to talk with you."

"Sure. Anywhere in particular?" Larka asked, looking around.

Zack thought over it, and then indicated to the top of the stairs. "That will work."

"Ok," she replied.

They climbed up the staircase, sitting down on the top step. Malon leapt out of Larka's arms, looking over at them quizzically. Then he lay down next to Larka's side.

Larka seemed surprised at this. "Usually, he doesn't calm down for quite some time. I wonder why he felt like being quiet now?" She looked over at Zack. "I'm sorry, that's probably off topic. What is it you wanted to talk about?"

"Well…" He gazed into the distance ahead of him, trying to put together what he wished to say in his mind.

"…Zack?" Larka asked, seeming concerned. "It something troubling you?"

"You could say that," he replied slowly.

"Then please, tell me. I want to be able to help you," Larka said softly.

He forced himself to look at her. "Larka. What I'm going to say now is something I have known for a long time, but only just realized last night. It might sound foolish to you, but please, hear me out for what I have to say. You can tell me what you think when I am done… just please, do not interrupt me."

"All right," Larka said, looking slightly nervous. "Please go on."

Zack thought for a moment, and then began speaking. His voice was shaky at first, but as he went on, it became easier for him to speak. "When I first met you, I was not sure what to think. I was uneasy to be amongst a group of people when I was so used to working alone, especially since I had become a cyborg. I soon became more comfortable amongst everyone though, as I began to understand them."

"You always… enchanted… me though. That's the only way I can describe it." He looked into her eyes. "You are highly modest, so you probably have not thought about this much. But you are easily one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen."

Larka blushed deeply. "W-what? I'm only sixteen! And I'm n-not even human anymore…"

"That doesn't make a difference," Zack said. "No matter what happened to you during those experiments, your soul was unaffected. Do you know how rare it is to find someone who is pure? Someone who has been completely untainted by feelings of violence, or greed, or hatred? It's nearly impossible. You should have been affected the most out of anyone. At such a young age, you were tortured constantly. Only recently, after ten years, have you finally gotten away from it. Yet, despite all that, you remain pure, more so than any person I can ever recall meeting. You're someone who would do anything for your companions, who would cry for having to slay those against you… I have never, in all the time I have been alive for either life of mine, seen anyone who would shed tears like you did when slaying Viken. I would have thought it impossible that such a person would exist… until I met you…"

Larka wanted to speak, but remembering his request for silence, she listened as he went on.

"When I saw that you had been taken by the officials, my instant reaction was to help you. What I didn't understand then was why I felt so strongly about it. Usually, I try to think logically, and would not have attempted to slip around so many enemies. At that time though, it seemed like the only option. I never even considered trying to find the rest of the group, although later I realized that might have been more rational. Instead, I went to do everything I could to save you…"

"When you were influenced by the full moon, I knew it could not be you. I was sure it was something outside of your power, and it was. Your reaction to realizing what you had done in your berserk state… even though it was merely officials you had killed… it was painful to watch."

"I was confronted by Heather shortly after this. All of my emotions were torn apart then. I didn't know what to do, and panicked. I wanted to run away from what I was feeling. I had before, by killing myself. If only I could do it again… that was what I thought then. I was persuaded not to think of such things by our companions, but it still remained in the back of my mind…"

"Then you were taken by Viken. My emotions were pushed aside temporarily then. I came to help find you, not just because I was requested to, but because I had to see, with my own eyes, that you were unharmed. I worried constantly as we went there, although I tried to hide it… Fell had enough on his mind without additional concerns…"

"When we were in the forest, looking after Ruecian, you gave me the chance to speak of those feelings that were paining me. I confessed what I wanted to do, how I wanted to put myself in a death-like state, and you told me you didn't want me to." Zack looked up at her again. "I had never needed words like that so much as then… I had never needed those words that asked for survival so much as then… you provided me with something that I had never thought I would have the fortune of obtaining; hope."

Larka's eyes brightened, but she remained silent.

Noticing the change, Zack had to take a few seconds to steady his voice. "When it was time for my ordeal, within the church, I... I spoke with Crystal. Her soul, perhaps…"

Larka could not help but interrupt now. "Is it all right for you to tell me of this?"

"It is necessary; she will not mind," Zack said. "She spoke to me of many things, but her last words were what made me the most confused. She said I was in love with someone, and my love for her should not act as a boundary for this new relationship."

Larka blushed again, but shook her head. "Go on."

"You were the first to be there when I finally came around from Thanatos' attacks. And when you went to help Brandi, I had complete faith that you knew what to do. When we were forced to try to find Vlademir, despite my actions to your brother, you showed no resentment. I was allowed to come, for a chance to get revenge upon the man who caused such deep wounds to my heart…"

"Yet, when you stated that you wanted no vengeance from your enemies, something changed within me. I still wanted to kill Vlademir, but not for revenge. I wanted him to die so that he would not harm others the way he harmed me. Your presence… has altered me… in a way for the better…"

"I never would have guessed how much I would have missed having you nearby, but when I began to live at Will's, I felt as though I was missing something vital. So when we were partnered together, to fight the Mavericks, I was delighted… it was a chance to be with you, alone, for some amount of time."

"When Lario wanted to kill you, for your powers, I had to step in his way. I was not lying… to see you in pain hurts me so much more than to be inflicted with physical wounds… yet, until you told me you were frightened, I could not put a word to these emotions. Heh… that was foolish indeed. I should have known… I have felt it before, after all."

"What… Zack, what do you mean?" Larka asked hesitatingly.

Zack closed his eyes, unable to look on. "I love you, Larka."

Larka stared at him in shock. This whole conversation, she had been wondering if it could possibly be true. But when he actually said it… "…Zack?"

"It's true…" he managed to say, voice shaking. "I was hesitant to believe it, but that is how I feel. I know you may not think the same. I have hardly shown any emotions to you, and have kept my feelings hidden most of the time. I'm not even human; I'm a cyborg, who should supposedly not have any emotions. Despite all that though, I feel love, for you…"

Larka gazed at him. "What about… your wife?"

"…I cannot lie. I still have love for her," Zack stated. "She was the one who told me to not let that interfere though. Crystal herself wants me to put my feelings for her aside, and to confess to you… that is something that I am grateful for." He looked away. "I am done. Say whatever you wish to. If you do not feel this, then tell me. I would understand why."

"Zack…!" Suddenly, Larka flung herself on him, sobbing into his shirt.

"Larka? What's wrong?" Zack exclaimed, alarmed at the sudden change.

After a few moments, she looked up, eyes shining with tears. "I never said what I felt, because I thought you would not want to hear this from me. I thought of myself as just a prototype of Viken's, never anything more… when I got the opportunity to have such great friends, I was so happy. But I felt something more than friendship for you… after thinking over it while you were gone at Will's, I realized that I was feeling… love. I had never thought I would be able to feel love for anyone in this way. But your wife… I did not want to say anything for fear of upsetting you. And I thought of myself as not even close to being able to compare to what you'd want." She closed her eyes. "I'm nothing…"

"That is not true!" Zack said fiercely, wrapping his arms around her as she buried her head into his shirt again. "I'm the one who is not worthy of one like you…"

Larka gazed up at him again, smiling despite her crying. "Neither of us are human anymore, are we? Yet… our souls remained intact…"

"Not mine," Zack whispered. "It nearly got torn apart forever… you were the only one who kept me from losing it. Thank you…"

"No, thank you," Larka said quietly. "For telling me I'm worth something… that is what I have always wished for…"

"It seems we both have similar needs," Zack replied, closing his eyes.

Larka stared in astonishment as a tear emerged from Zack's eye. "You can cry?"

"I thought perhaps I had lost the ability to do so," Zack said in wonder, looking at her again. "It seems you have proven me wrong."

"I'm glad then…" Larka said softly. "It helps to show sincerity… at least, that is how I see it…"

"Perhaps, in this case, it does," Zack said.

Larka shook her head. "I hope that I don't prove unworthy…"

"Never," Zack assured, embracing her again. "Never would you do anything that would make me think that…"

"But I've never loved anyone like this before," Larka said worriedly.

"If we truly do love each other, then nothing can come between us," Zack stated. "Nothing whatsoever. I will always be here for you, to protect you, to listen to your words, to do whatever it takes to keep you happy. If I can do that much… then I am satisfied."

"Then I will do the same, for your sake," Larka said quietly, embracing him in return.

In that position they remained. They seemed to have forgotten about the passage of time; they simply waited on those steps, not even aware of what they were waiting for as they let their emotions flow through tears. The knowledge that they had someone to share these pains with, perhaps, was what made their happiness absolute.

…

"We're here!" Miles declared as they sat down. "Now what?"

"We wait, obviously," Gen stated.

"Can't we do something while waiting?" Miles complained.

"I'd play Hangman, but I don't have any paper or a pencil," Claire said.

"Luckily, I always do," Miles said, bringing out the materials from his pouch. "You want to invent the word first, or me?"

"I will," Claire decided.

Will went next to her, and whispered something. Claire couldn't help but giggle at the idea of it. "That's a good one! Ok Miles, this word has nine letters in it."

"Nine? I'll start with the basics, A."

"Nope…"

Leaving them to their game, Will went a short distance away and opened his book to read for a while. Fell merely stared into the distance.

"P, space, o, n, e, b, o, o, space," Claire rattled off.

"Can I see?" Miles picked up the sheet, looked at it, and then slowly tore it to pieces while glaring at Will. "I do not need any reminders of phonebooks, thank you!"

"Glad to help," Will smirked, not even looking up from his book.

Before Miles could respond to that, they heard a combination of roars. They looked up to see two Blue Eyes and Kazel racing towards them, going at a very fast speed.

"I suggest we move," Perseus said dryly, stepping away from the area. Everyone followed him, and the three dragons landed with heavy thuds.

"Hah! We have triumphed!" Draken declared, jumping off his Blue Eyes.

"Hardly," Kazel snorted. "I was far ahead of those two. They could pass as flying snails compared to me."

"As if! You were left eating our air currents!" Draken retorted as Darche jumped off the Blue Eyes.

"Kill me now…" Rue groaned, toppling off his Blue Eyes as Ruecian leapt off, landing gracefully.

Amy just let herself fall to the ground, looking extremely sick. She managed to bring out her Soul Card though, and Sakura appeared. She looked over at Amy, and shook her head. "How will you ever become an astronaut if you can't even handle a flight like that one?"

"I gave up… on that dream… a while ago…" Amy muttered. She looked over at Kazel. "I thought… you said… that you would be gentler?"

Kazel cocked her head, looking innocent. "I was being gentle there. You should see me when I practice battle maneuvers."

"No, thanks, I'll pass," Amy said hurriedly.

As Kisara dismounted, Will stated, "I'll act as the judge here, and say that Kazel was just barely ahead of the two Blue Eyes."

"Do you have any way to respond to that?" Kazel asked Draken, smirking.

"Ok, ok, you win," Draken conceded with a sigh. "Red Eyes Black Dragons rule, Blue Eyes White Dragons are not nearly as cool."

"Much better," Kazel said approvingly. The Blue Eyes White Dragons glared at her before flying off.

"Well… now that that's settled… what's been happening with you guys?" Miles asked. "You're here pretty early."

"So are you," Rue pointed out, getting up.

"Yeah. We wanted to make sure we wouldn't miss anyone," Claire said.

"We just came when we woke up," Draken shrugged. "So, we're missing Hope, Max, Larka, and Zack, right? Is that everyone?"

"I think so," Neo replied.

Draken looked over at him in surprise. "Who are you supposed to be?"

"Do I have to reintroduce myself to every person I meet?" Neo said in exasperation.

"That's Neo," Will stated.

"Huh? Say what?" Draken said in disbelief.

"Um… could we have an explanation?" Sakura asked.

Rue snickered, and couldn't resist saying, "Nice hat."

"That does it!" Neo snapped, eyes flashing. A ring of fire suddenly leapt up around Rue, before vanishing as quickly as it had come, leaving Rue covered in a fine layer of ash.

Rue looked at his gloves in disgust. "I suppose I deserved that."

"At least you admitted to that much," Neo stated.

"Aw… we can't make fun of Neo anymore?" Draken said in disappointment.

"One more word and I won't hesitate to burn you as well," Neo growled.

Will broke up the conversation. "We'll explain how this occurred, once the others arrive. If they don't come by nine, we'll search for them."

"Oh, that's right! We need to tell you guys something," Amy said. "We met up with Matt in the mountains, but he left early this morning to search for Hope and Max. He wanted to inform Max on how Brandi is doing."

"Did he say how she was faring?" Darche asked.

"Very badly, to keep it straight forward," Sakura sighed.

"We can only hope for the best," Kazel stated, lying down while folding her wings. "Let us not waste time on worrying over matters we cannot change."

"I agree," Draken said. "Let's wait for everyone else, and then discuss what we'll do next."

"So what do we do in the meantime? Free duel?" Rue suggested.

"Sure, I'll face you," Claire grinned.

"Come on sis! Let me fight someone I have a chance of winning against!" Rue complained.

"I'll place a bet on Claire," Miles offered.

"That's nice, but nobody will take it," Will stated, opening his book again.

"Rue, I need more practice," Claire insisted.

"How do you get practice off me when you win so easily?" After a moment, Rue sighed and shuffled his deck. "Fine. Here goes nothing…"

…

Max stared at the monster in astonishment. "What? You're… Olympion?"

Hope opened her eyes slightly, gazing at the monster nervously, before closing them again. Gaston did not move from his position as he watched silently.

"In a way," the monster answered. "I have all of Olympion's memories, but I am a completely new Soul Monster."

Max suddenly felt something warm in his pocket. He reached into it and pulled out a glowing Soul Card. Amazed, he read over it.

"An End of Anubis… I knew that's what you were…" Max murmured, before sliding it away.

"You may refer to me as Tenma for short," he said.

"How is this possible though?" Max asked.

Tenma looked down at Hope. "When the mistress conducted the soul transfer, the parts of your soul that you had lost were filled in, so that you would not die. I am a representation of that. Thanks to the mistress and Gaston, your soul is whole again; therefore, you are in no danger of dying any longer."

"Soul transfer? You mean we lent Max part of our souls?" Gaston said in disbelief.

"In a way," Tenma answered. "Except, it is permanent, not a mere lending. Due to having his soul complete again, I was formed once more."

Max glanced at Hope. "Is that why she is like this? Because she gave up part of her soul?"

"A very large part of it," Tenma confirmed. "Gaston also lost part of himself, but that was mainly to give me a physical form. He should be recovered by now."

"Yes… there are no side effects from what happened, when it comes to me…" Gaston said, standing. "But what about Hope?"

"That I do not know," Tenma replied. "She may recover, but I am not sure how. We cannot have another soul transfer, as it is something only she could do. She will have to regain her soul on her own."

"Is that the only way?" Max asked anxiously.

"I cannot be sure, but it is the sole idea I have at the moment," Tenma stated.

Max shook his head. "So we have no idea how long she will be like this… damn it! It's all my fault…"

"Don't… talk like that…" Hope managed to say.

Max looked at her again, surprised. "You're conscious?"

"…Barely…"

"Please, don't speak," Max said worriedly. "Save your strength."

"It isn't… your fault… I chose… to do this…" Hope whispered.

"You wouldn't have needed to do anything if I hadn't been so weak," Max stated.

"…I won't… be able… to rest… until you promise… that… you'll stop… blaming yourself…" Hope said slowly.

"Fine, I won't do it any more, if it worries you that much," Max said. "I'm sorry about that. Please, let yourself relax. I don't want stress to add to your pain."

"All right…" Hope murmured, smiling faintly.

Gaston glanced at her, concern showing in his eyes. "We need to leave as soon as possible. Should we head back to the meeting area?"

"Yes. Once we inform everyone else of what occurred, we'll leave Teknisk Wereld at once." Max stood up, still holding onto Hope carefully. He shook his head in amazement. "She's got a grip of steel; I can't believe that she still won't let go of my arm."

"You could say that once Hope gets a resolve in mind, she will not give up on it very easily," Gaston stated.

"Then I'll just have to carry her," Max decided.

"Are you strong enough to do that now?" Gaston inquired.

Max nodded. "Yeah. I feel completely fine."

Tenma sniffed the air, and suddenly growled as he looked around. "Someone is here…"

"I am surprised that you just noticed," Aya stated, stepping into the clearing.

Gaston's hand flew to his sword. "Who are you? What are your intentions?"

"I am called Aya, and I work under Sarius," Aya said. "You do not need to draw your weapon. I have not come here with the intention of harming you; rather, the opposite."

"What do you mean?" Max asked.

"Falling asleep without a sentry was not a wise decision," Aya said dryly. "If I had not been there, all of you would have been murdered by Dark Scythe before even waking up."

"He was here?" Gaston said in disbelief.

"Unfortunately. It takes quite a bit to make that cretin let go of his goals," Aya sighed. "I got him to leave for the night, but he will be back, most likely today. I will not be able to help you when he returns."

"Normally, I'd be more than happy to get a chance of revenge at him," Max growled. "We can't risk putting Hope in danger though. We have to find a way to avoid him!"

"Then think of one on your own," Aya told him, turning away. "I cannot remain here to be of assistance. All I can say is good luck."

Max was about to respond to that, when Hope said, "…Thanks…"

"Hm?" Aya looked back at her. "What did you say?"

"…For helping us… when he came… last night… you said you had… I just wanted… to say thanks…" Hope said weakly.

Aya thought for a moment, and then replied. "When you recover, I will want to speak with you again. Until then, stay alive." Then she left, pushing aside some tree limbs as she exited the clearing.

Max was silent for a moment, and then he said, "We should get moving. The longer we remain here, the more chances we have of Dark Scythe coming back."

"I will lead," Tenma said.

"Then let me be in the rear," Gaston volunteered. "The last thing we need is an attack from behind us."

They began to slowly make their way through the woods. At every clearing they went through, Tenma would stop for a moment and sniff the air before confirming that it was safe to move on. Gaston kept his hand towards his blade at all times, eyes nervously darting around. Max was mainly concentrating on avoiding branches, roots, and other such obstacles from the forest. Despite that, he was still tense as they continued.

They emerged into another clearing, one that was a bit larger than previous ones. It was here that Tenma froze, and snarled. "This stench… it can only belong to…"

"Dark Scythe? How far away is he?" Gaston asked anxiously.

"…Too close to get away from," Tenma stated.

As he finished speaking, Dark stepped into the clearing, Kankorou beside him. Tenma and Gaston instantly got in front of Max and Hope, preparing themselves for the worst.

Dark did not seem disturbed by the two Soul Monsters. "You did not honestly expect to be able to get away, did you?"

"One can always hope," Gaston said.

"It would have been finished last night, had Tirran's wench not interfered," Dark growled. "There is nobody to help you this time though."

"If you wanted us to die, why didn't you just ambush us?" Gaston asked.

"I am not interested in fighting physically yet," Dark said. "Since dueling is held in such high regard, I believe that it would be easiest to carry out my goals through doing that." He looked over at Max. "We will face each other once more. As before, our stakes will be our lives. To make sure it isn't disregarded, as you did with your previous loss, the loser shall be slain in this area by the opponent."

Max glared at him. "I'll accept your challenge."

"…Max…" Hope said quietly.

"Hope… I'm sorry, but there isn't any other way to get around him," Max said. "Will you be able to hold out while I face him?"

"…Yes…"

Gaston went over to them. "I'll see to her. You need to concentrate on this duel."

"Yeah…" Max slowly handed her to Gaston, trying to be as gentle as possible. Despite his caution though, Hope gasped in pain as the exchange took place.

Gaston looked at her worriedly. "Just moving you this much hurts?"

It took Hope a moment to get her breathing under control as agony coursed throughout her. "…I-I'll live…"

Dark smirked as he watched them. "It seems my illusion had completely fooled you. I'm surprised that the girl is even alive, but it still served its purpose."

"Enough on that!" Max snarled.

"Are you trying to hide from what you did?" Dark said mockingly. "Are you so ashamed of your actions? Are you afraid of revealing to anyone else that you would believe an enemy more readily than one of your closest companions?"

"That… that's…" Max could not find a response to that.

"…That's not true…" Hope finished, looking over at them through her barely-open eyes.

Max stared at her, while Dark merely laughed. "You choose to defend the one who inflicted this much pain upon you?"

"…Yes… because it was not… his fault…" Hope said. "His life… you took emotions… that he got during… his life… and twisted them… to fit your needs…" She broke off, and coughed hoarsely before going on. "I cannot… blame anyone… but you…"

"Very cute," Dark said sarcastically. "Believing in a loved one, no matter what happens… are you really so naïve? Do you really believe he is on your side?"

"Yes…" Hope answered instantly.  
Max stepped up in front of him, turning on his Duel Disk as Tenma went to his side. "I cannot say whether I deserve it or not, but I'm being given another chance by Hope. What I do know is that I will not fail this time. Your cheap tricks will not work any more; I am never going to make the mistake of trusting an enemy more than a companion, ever again! That's something that I know I can promise now!"

"I would not promise that," Dark sneered, activating his own Duel Disk as he spoke. "Promises are so easy to break, after all."

"Maybe for a twisted person like you," Max said venomously. "But now I have someone to uphold my vows for; that is why they shall remain true!"

"That could be argued against," Dark stated. "But it will not matter in the end, I suppose. When I kill you, there will be no chances for apologizing for betrayed trust, after all!"

Max finished his part of the conversation as they drew by saying, "Likewise for you, since you won't have the time to even wonder how I can keep my promises before you're dead!"

"Only one of these threats will come true," Dark said in finality. "Let us now see which of us will be fortunate enough to see their sentence for the other carried out."

…

"I can't win!" Rue said in disgust as his Life Points dropped to zero again.

Miles laughed. "Hey, Rue, guess what? I just realized that the sky is blue!"

"I didn't ask for your comments," Rue muttered, shuffling his deck once more.

Will looked up from his reading. "It must be past nine by now, yet they have not arrived."

"You're right. Should we go out and try to find them?" Amy asked.

"We did inform each other on where we would be," Claire recalled. "Hope and Max went to the forest, while Larka and Zack went to the Sky Temple."

"But Matt is looking for Max," Gen said. "He might want him for something. I believe we should give Hope and Max some more time to show up, like until ten or so. It would do little good to attempt a search; the forest is much too vast."

"You have a point," Neo admitted. "But what about Larka and Zack? They shouldn't have any reason to be held up, right?"

"That's why I think we should check up on them," Draken said. "If Darche could call up two Blue Eyes, Rue and I can go and see if they're still at the Sky Temple."

"Why do I have to go?" Rue asked, remembering how his last ride on a Blue Eyes White Dragon this morning had gone. It was not a pleasant memory.

"They might need back up, so it would be better to have at least two people," Draken explained.

"But why me?" Rue protested.

"Because Claire beat you while dueling," Draken grinned. "So you have to take some form of penalty for losing. This will work."

"You suck. I just thought I'd tell you that," Rue growled.

"Yes, I am aware of what good of friends we are," Draken replied. "Darche, can you call them over now?"

"I'm way ahead of you," Darche stated, who already was holding his glowing sword in the air.

Two Blue Eyes soon landed next to them, glancing at Draken inquiringly.

"We need a ride up to the Sky Temple," Draken told them. "You know the way, right?"

As a response, the two dragons crouched down, waiting to be mounted.

"I'm going to get you back for this… someday…" Rue muttered, climbing onto one of the Blue Eyes with Ruecian.

"Hopefully, it won't be someday too far in the future, or I'll be dead of old age first," Draken stated, mounting the other one with Darche. "We'll be right back after checking it out, all right?"

"Got it," Miles said.

Without further conversation, the Blue Eyes took off, flying up high. They stayed below the clouds for a short time, and then suddenly began to go straight up.

"We'll be right in front of the Sky Temple!" Draken shouted to Rue. "If Larka and Zack have been delayed by an enemy, we'll have to be ready to fight!"

"I'm fine with that!" Rue called back. "Let's go!"

The Blue Eyes emerged right in front of the Sky Temple, and the two of them instantly saw their companions. What they were doing made both of them speechless though.

Larka and Zack were both still in each other's embraces, and had not even been aware that they had been waiting for someone to come. Now that their friends had arrived, all the four of them could do was stare at each other.

Rue broke the silence abruptly by yelling, "OH MY GOD!" while falling off his Blue Eyes White Dragon in shock. Ruecian covered his eyes with his hand in exasperation as the Blue Eyes dived after him.

Draken looked over to where they had gone, and then stammered out, "Er… um… sorry for interrupting you… we'll be back in about five minutes… that ok?" Before they could answer, Draken's Blue Eyes went down after Rue's.

Zack raised an eyebrow. "It looks like we scared away our rescuers."

Larka blushed deeply. "Did we… do something wrong?"

"No, nothing," Zack assured. "Rue just does not know how to comprehend love, while Draken feels awkward for intruding."

"Ok…" Larka looked somewhat confused, but did not pursue the issue. "Maybe we had better get ready for their return?"

"That would probably be the best thing to do," Zack agreed.

Meanwhile, Draken had arrived next to Rue's Blue Eyes, which had managed to successfully get underneath him so that Ruecian could catch him before hitting the ground. Rue still looked very shocked. "I can't believe this…"

"I'm surprised too," Draken said. "I didn't think they'd admit it this early."

"You knew?" Rue asked in amazement.

"Well, duh. You could tell from how they were acting," Draken replied. "I just thought they would have waited a while longer before confessing their feelings for each other. I bet everyone else in the group had noticed too… except for Miles, maybe."

"And I'm left out of the loop," Rue complained.

"I can't believe that you missed it," Draken said, shaking his head. "Couldn't you tell how depressed Larka or Zack acted whenever the other wasn't around? And how much they were concerned about each other?"

"Um… I didn't really pay attention…" Rue confessed.

"Next you're probably going to tell me that you didn't even notice that Max and Hope love each other," Draken said.

Rue's eyes widened. "…Say… what?"

"Geez, you really are hopeless, aren't you?" Draken sighed.

"They're in love too? Are there any other relationships I'm missing?" Rue said in disbelief.

"Unless you count Neo and Mana, nope," Draken laughed.

"I don't count that," Rue muttered. Then he smiled as he remembered something. "Ok, so you could tell about those two relationships easily enough. But how come you noticed their feelings when you can't even tell how much Kisara likes you? I noticed that you forgot to add that in when I asked if I was missing anything else."

"Bring that up again and I won't hesitate to blast you to outer space," Draken growled. "I said I'd give them five minutes, and I'd say it's been about that amount of time. Let's go back and talk with them." Without waiting for an answer, he flew back up.

Rue sighed. "He can see other relationships but not ones that concern him? That's just weird." He looked over at his Soul Monster. "Ruecian, do you understand any of this?"

Ruecian shrugged.

"Typical," Rue muttered, before telling his Blue Eyes to rise as well.

By the time both of them arrived, Zack, Larka, and Malon were waiting at the foot of the stairs. Rue, Ruecian, Draken, and Darche dismounted and went over to them. Malon instantly ran up and jumped at them, but Larka seized him quickly.

Larka still seemed somewhat embarrassed by what had happened before. "I'm sorry if we startled you…"

"Startled is a bit too mild for that," Rue said.

"All I have to say is congratulations," Draken grinned. "I thought it'd be a while before either of you got the nerve up to confess, but it's good that you went ahead and did so!"

"You knew?" Larka asked, surprised.

"I think everyone but Rue and Miles would have known," Draken stated. "Maybe Neo too, but enough on that. Is that the only reason why you guys weren't down there by nine?"

"We actually had no method of getting down from here," Zack said.

Draken blinked. "Huh? Then how did you all get up here?"

"While going towards town, we came across a tablet of some kind that teleported us up here," Zack explained. "There was no way to get back down though."

"Unless you wanted to commit suicide by jumping," Rue commented.

"In case you forgot, I wouldn't have been able to do that anyway," Zack said dryly.

"Oh yeah…" Rue looked away sheepishly.

Draken rolled his eyes. "Way to be insensitive."

"It is fine," Zack stated. "More importantly, it would be helpful if you could lend us a way to get down from here."

"No problem. You can have one of the Blue Eyes; it should be able to carry you three. The other one can get the rest of us down," Draken said.

"It can carry four people?" Larka asked.

"We're mainly descending, so for something like that, it isn't an issue," Draken replied. "Now, if we were going to take a flight to a farther location, where we'd have to rise in certain areas as well, it wouldn't be a good idea. For this though, there's no trouble in having one of them carry four of us."

"All right then," Larka said, tightening her grip on Malon as he tried to wriggle free. "If we're ready, shall we go now?"

They mounted the Blue Eyes and wasted no time in descending. Shortly after taking off, they landed next to the group.

"What took you guys so long?" Miles asked as they landed and dismounted.

"We talked for a bit," Draken shrugged. "No big deal."

"What was the reason for the delay?" Amy inquired.

"A lack of a method to get down resulted in us being stranded there," Zack stated. "We teleported up, and had no way to get back down."

"How did you guys pull that off?" Neo asked.

Zack looked over at him. "By using a tablet of some kind; it would be easier to show everyone it later. Neo, I assume?"

"Yay! Someone else finally recognized me!" Neo said triumphantly.

Malon went over to Neo and sniffed him, wagging his tail excitedly.

Larka noticed something else. "Where are Hope and Max?"

"We're still waiting for them," Will said, looking back at his book. "I suggest getting yourselves comfortable. It might take a while. Matt is already searching for them; if they haven't arrived by ten, we'll be going to look as well."

"All right," Larka agreed, sitting down next to Zack. Draken dismissed the Blue Eyes before letting himself relax too.

Claire didn't intend to give Rue the same leisure. "Let's duel again!"

"Spare me…" Rue groaned.

"Don't let up on him!" Amy grinned. "Show him that you're the one in charge!"

Rue glared at her. "Thanks for the support!"

"Any time!" Amy smiled.

It was around this time that Zack got the feeling that he was being watched. He glanced over his shoulder to see Fell staring at him. Noticing that Zack had seen what he was doing, Fell looked away instantly, but still gave him an occasional glance.

_Perhaps something is on his mind,_ Zack thought, dismissing the incident as Rue and Claire began another duel.

…

Max: 8000

Dark: 8000

"I trust you will not mind if I go first?" Dark asked sneeringly.

"Do as you want; I'll win either way," Max stated. Tenma growled softly.

Dark eyed Tenma. "I thought you said you had no Soul Monster. If that is the case, who would this be?"

"Tenma is my Soul Monster now. How I obtained him is none of your business," Max snapped. "Get on with it!"

"Whatever you wish. I lay one monster in defense mode, and end my turn."

Max shook his head. "You didn't even lay down any magic or trap cards? That's a pathetic way to begin a duel. I place a monster in defense mode on the field, and one card face down. That's all."

"It seems I did not need one either way, since you did not attempt to do anything threatening," Dark pointed out. "I will summon Chaos Rider, Gustav (1400/1500) and have him attack your set!"

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I need my monster to stay alive," Max told him. "I activate my trap card, Attack Nullification! This negates your attack and ends your battle phase."

"I cannot exactly say that is a threat," Dark said. "Go ahead and take your turn."

"I'll flip summon my face down monster, Newt! (1900/400) Due to Newt's effect though, his stats are increased by 500 when flip summoned! (2400/900) Then I summon Element Devil! (1500/1200) Newt attacks Gustav!"

Max: 8000

Dark: 7000

"Then Element Devil attacks your defense monster!" Max declared.

"You have destroyed my Dark Clown Master Peten," (500/1200) Dark stated. "When he is sent to the Cemetery, I can activate his effect. By removing him from the game, I can special summon another one from my hand or deck." Another face down card appeared on Dark's field, which was in defense mode.

"This is where my Element Devil's effect comes into play," Max said. "When I have a Wind Main-Type monster on the field, if he destroys one of your monsters in battle, he can attack again. So I'll have him attack your second Peten!"

"I will remove him to get a third."

After glancing over his hand, Max said, "I'm done."

"I lay one monster in defense mode, and two other cards," Dark said. "That is all."

Max looked at the card he had drawn, and instantly played it. "I summon Dweller of Darkness Shadowkiller! (1400/200) His effect is that if you only have defense monsters in your monster zone, he can attack directly. So I will have Shadowkiller attack you directly!"

Max: 8000

Dark: 5600

"Then I attack your last Peten with Element Devil! I'll use his effect to attack your other defense monster as well!"

"It was Wicked God of a Thousand Eyes…" (0/0)

"Newt attacks directly! After that, I'm done."

Max: 8000

Dark: 3200

"So far, it's looking pretty good for Max," Gaston commented. "If he can just get Dark down by 200 more Life Points, then he will not have any way to use Hell Tempest."

"Good…" Hope whispered.

Dark seemed far from finished though. "I will play an instant magic card, Scape Goat. It gives me four Goat Tokens in defense mode. (0/0) I lay one card face down, and end my turn."

Max shrugged. "That isn't really a fitting card for you, and it does not pose much of a problem. I'll summon Giant Orc." (2200/0)

"In response to that, I activate Tidal Wave," Dark said. "It destroys all monsters on the field."

"Damn it," Max muttered. "I lay one card down and that's all."

"I play another Scape Goat card, and end my turn after laying another card down," Dark stated as four more Goat Tokens emerged.

"I activate Early Burial. By paying 800 Life Points, I can special summon Newt in attack mode," Max said. (1900/400)

Max: 7200

Dark: 3200

"Then I summon Demon Soldier. (1900/1500) Both of my monsters attack, to destroy two of your Goat Tokens. Then I'll lay one card face down and end my turn."

Dark smirked as he looked at his next card. "This ought to work very nicely. First, I switch one of my Goat Tokens to attack mode. Then I activate a magic card, Forced Transfer! We each choose a monster on our field and exchange them with each other. So I will let you have the Goat Token that is in attack mode, while I get one of your two monsters."

"Take Demon Soldier," Max decided.

"That's fine. I'll have Demon Soldier attack your Scape Goat."

Max: 5300

Dark: 3200

"I lay one monster in defense mode, and end my turn."

"That isn't too bad of a set back," Gaston said as Max drew. "Max still has the advantage."

"…Yes…" Hope said softly.

Gaston looked down at her, and saw that her eyes were reflecting her agony even more intensely than before. "What's wrong? You seem worse off than before… am I doing something wrong?"

"Yes… it's more painful…" Hope admitted.

Gaston thought for a moment, and then laid her on the ground gently. "Does that help somewhat?"

"…Yes…"

"Maybe it was the way I was holding you, or my body temperature; if you're condition is similar to a sickness, it could be because of that," Gaston said, kneeling down next to her. "Go ahead and relax. Max will win shortly."

Max had been watching them out of concern. When he saw that the situation had apparently been resolved, he began to take his turn. "I lay one monster in defense mode, and attack your last Scape Goat with Newt. I'm done after that."

Dark glanced at his next card, and smiled coldly. "This is the end for you. I sacrifice both of your monsters to special summon Lava Golem!" (3000/2500)

Max seemed undisturbed as he appeared in the flaming cage of the Lava Golem. "This gets old rather fast."

"Now I flip summon my Wicked God of a Thousand Eyes," (0/0) Dark said. "It attacks Lava Golem!"

At these words, Max grinned. "You've walked right into a trap!"  
"What?"

"I activate Unholy Calamity!" Max said. As he spoke, a purple vortex emerged from beneath the field, pulling in Dark's two face down cards. "It can only be activated when you declare an attack, and it destroys all magic and trap cards on the field. Go ahead and have your Wicked God commit suicide on Lava Golem. All that will result from it is you losing several Life Points!"

"Those cards were Hell Tempest and Return From the Twilight Zone…" Dark hissed as his Wicked God was burned to ashes. "Damn it all!"

Max: 5300

Dark: 200

"Now you can't attempt to activate Hell Tempest again," Max pointed out.

Dark glared at him. "That is not important at this moment. I switch Demon Soldier to defense mode, and lay one card down. That is all."

As Max drew, the flames around the cage suddenly flared up, burning into Max. Tenma growled angrily as they cleared, leaving Max covered with ash.

"That's right…" Max recalled. "For each of my standby phases, Lava Golem deals 1000 damage to my Life Points."

Max: 4300

Dark: 200

"It still has its uses though." Max looked at the card he had drawn, and blinked. Then he looked over at Hope, and back at his hand. "How ironic… I lay all three of my cards face down, and attack Demon Soldier with Lava Golem!"

"Now it is your turn to fall for my trap," Dark sneered. "I activate Magic Cylinder, negating your attack and dealing damage to your Life Points equal to the amount of the attack."

Max: 1300

Dark: 200

"Argh… if Lava Golem is still around on my next standby phase, then it will only lead to even more trouble…" Max realized. "There's only one way around this. I'll end my turn."

"That only brings you closer to defeat," Dark stated as he drew.

"Actually, it's time to get rid of Lava Golem," Max said. "I activate a trap card, Cry of the Living Dead, to bring back my Newt in attack mode. In response to special summoning him, I activate Tidal Wave, destroying all monsters on the field. I'm not done yet though. I'll chain onto my monsters dying by activating another trap card, Soul Line!"

Hope smiled faintly as she saw him activate him, while Gaston shook his head. "That's quite a coincidence. I never would have guessed what a connection the card you gave him would have had to these recent events."

"It can only be activated when a monster on my side of the field is destroyed. By paying 1000 Life Points, I can special summon a level four monster from my deck. I'll bring out another Demon Soldier!" (1900/1500)

Max: 300

Dark: 200

"It will do you no good," Dark smirked. "I lay two cards face down. That is all."

Max glanced at the two cards tensely, and then drew. He looked at his card, and sighed in relief. "It looks like I've found a way to get around your defenses."

"How?" Dark asked apprehensively.

"By using this permanent magic card, Ectoplasm!" Max said, sliding it into his Duel Disk.

"What does it do?" Dark inquired.

"On each player's end phase, they choose one face up monster on their field and sacrifice it. This causes the other player to lose Life Points equal to half of the monster's base attack," Max explained. "So, do you see now what will happen?"

"Impossible…" Dark growled.

"Afraid not. I end my turn, and sacrifice Demon Soldier for Ectoplasm!" Max declared.

As he said that, the Demon Soldier began to dissolve, becoming a white light. Then the light shot straight at Dark, slamming into him.

Max: 300

Dark: 0

"So you won," Dark said coldly.

"Yes. I don't expect you to keep to our bargain though," Max stated.

In a crimson flash, Dark brought out his scythe. "It seems you know me rather well."

Before he could advance though, Max lunged at him. Taken by surprise from the aggressive move, Dark had to concentrate on trying to block Max's punches. After a few seconds though, Dark brought down his scythe. Max ducked, avoiding it the first time, but the second time, his left leg was cut.

Gaston was unsure of how he could help in this fight; if he tried to assist, he was just as likely to hurt Max as Dark. His problem with that was solved when Kankorou suddenly appeared in front of him. Before Gaston could react, Kankorou brought up his hands, and made a throwing motion towards Gaston. Instantly, Gaston was thrown backwards, crashing into a tree before falling to the ground.

He attempted to rise, only to realize that it was nearly impossible to move. He glanced at arms and saw that they were bound with a clear material. "Wires? Fitting," Gaston muttered as he tried to reach for his sword.

While he was distracted though, Kankorou went up to Hope, opening his hand to bring out more wires. But before he could do anything else, Tenma slashed him in the back. With a screech, Kankorou attempted to bind Tenma, but he was too large and strong to fall for it. He tore away the wires that had begun wrapping around his right arm easily, and then seized Kankorou. In less than a few seconds, Tenma had torn him to shreds, and the few parts remaining of Dark's Soul Monster soon vanished.

Max was not doing as well in his fight against Dark. Two more slashes of his scythe had connected with Max's chest and other leg, causing him to have three long, bleeding gashes. Max was well aware that he would not be able to beat him in combat like this, so he swiftly grabbed a card and thrust it into his Duel Disk. As he came next to Dark again, trying to hit him, he felt something form in his hand. Recognizing what it was, Max tackled Dark, attaching the item to his back while he was distracted.

Dark did not even notice what had happened as he jumped up and tried to cut into Max again. Max rolled backwards though, getting a decent distance away from him before rising again, holding a chain.

Noticing the chain, Dark paused, looking at where it led. His eyes widened as he realized where it ended, which was himself.

Max grinned as he saw Dark's comprehension, and before Dark could do anything, said "Bang," and pulled on the chain.

The Chained Dynamite instantly activated, causing and explosion to tear through the clearing. Tenma crouched down in front of Hope and Gaston, shielding them from it.

Only when it cleared did Tenma rise and go over to Gaston, cutting away the wires binding him with one swipe of his claws.

"Thanks," Gaston said, wincing as he stood up. He looked around at the damage, and blinked as he saw that several trees had been knocked away, and the area all around had been blackened. "I seriously hope Dark did not survive that."

"…Max…" Hope said worriedly. "What happened… to him…?"

Gaston went over to her, still looking around. "There's no sign of Dark, but none of Max either…"

"Because I got thrown a few yards away," Max stated, coming out of a pile of fallen trees and limping over to them. "I probably should have stood farther away."

"That might have been wise," Gaston agreed. "How badly are you wounded?"  
"It's nothing," Max said, bringing out a Red Potion and drinking it. "He grazed me, nothing more. What about Hope?"

"…I'm fine…" Hope replied.

"So Dark's gone?" Gaston assumed.

"Unless he has a miraculous way of surviving an explosion that he is in the center of, he's dead," Max said. "I doubt I will be mourning for him any time soon."

Gaston nodded. "Indeed."

Tenma suddenly snarled, sniffing the air. "Someone is coming."

As he said that, Matt ran into the clearing, stopping short as he saw them. "Max! What the hell is going on?"

"We got attacked, so I had to take some drastic measures to kill him before he could do the same to us," Max said. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to try and find you. I suppose I should be grateful for that explosion, or I would have never been able to find you," Matt stated. "Anyway, it's about Brandi. She's been getting worse. I wanted to tell you so that you could go see her."

"Damn! Another thing to add to my list of problems," Max growled. "All right, I'll see to her. You're coming too, I assume?"

"Yeah." Matt eyed Tenma warily. "You can explain what happened later. We have to get back post haste though."

Max paused for a moment, looking over at Hope. "I guess we will have to go back to the real world now. But what if that has a negative effect on Hope recovering?"

"We don't have the time to think about that," Gaston said. "Leaving her here certainly won't benefit to her health. She might actually recover more quickly if she was able to rest at your place anyway, Max. The main problem is telling the others where we have gone, but we can worry about that later. This takes priority."

"Fine. We'll go back immediately," Max decided, kneeling next to Hope. "Is that ok with you?"

"Yes…" Hope said softly.

"I'm going to send you back first then." Max took her Duel Disk, and selected the option on her menu. She vanished instantly, and Gaston went right after her. Tenma also left without warning.

"See you in a few seconds," Matt said, leaving. Max looked around the clearing one more time, and then left as well.

…

Next to Brandi's bedside, Mana looked over the thermometer once more, her eyes filled with worry. "105.5… it's been like this for two hours now. If this keeps up…"

Hime, who had come in to check on them, asked anxiously, "Isn't there anything we can do to help her?"

"I don't know…" Mana said softly. Then she looked up. "Wait… yes, there is a way. There is something I can do, but I must ask for you to not interfere with it."

"Huh?"

"Please, just promise that you won't stop me!" Mana exclaimed, turning to Hime, who could see several tears falling from her eyes.

Hime hesitated, and then nodded. "Very well… but what are you going to do?"

"Keep her from dying," Mana said as she went onto the bed and straddled herself on Brandi's midriff. "I can't afford to have Brandi moving during this… every bit of energy counts." She then began to concentrate all of the energy in her body into the palms of her hands.

"Mana, please don't do anything rash!" Hime protested. "You mean too much to Brandi to be taking any large risks!"

"It's too late for that, Hime," Mana stated grimly. "There is no other way at this point…" She then rested her hands directly on Brandi's chest, right over her heart.

"Here goes nothing…" Mana murmured. Then she began to release the energy. Light poured out of her hands and entered Brandi. Mana tried to hold steady, but could not help but moan in pain as her energy flowed into Brandi.

Despite the agony, she held strong. _I know that this hurts… but I have to do it. I have never tried healing Brandi when she was sick, but there is no other way she will live at this point. If I want her to live… I must finish this!_

Hime watched in worry as Mana grew more and more pale, and her breath became very ragged. "Mana, please stop this! At this rate, you will…"

"I know!" Mana yelled, trying to focus long enough to complete her task. "But it will be worth it if it saves her!"

_I have to do something… _Hime thought fretfully. _But I promised I would not interfere! Mana, what have you done?_

Suddenly, Mana shuddered, and let go of Brandi as she fell off of her, onto the bed, beside her.

Mana's movement stirred Brandi from her sleep. "Hm… what is going on?" she asked exhaustedly. Then she sat up, looking at Mana in alarm. "Mana?"

Mana managed to turn her head towards Brandi. What Brandi saw horrified her. Mana, who was usually so happy and cheerful, now looked almost like a ghost, she was so pale. Her eyes, filled with life normally, were now dull, as though the light inside of them had died.

"Mana!" Brandi exclaimed, bringing her fallen Soul Monster closer to her. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry…" Mana whispered. "I just wanted to make sure that you would be ok… but I overestimated my capabilities…"

"What do you mean?" Brandi asked worriedly.

"I tried to save you from dying by healing you to purge the sickness…" Mana said softly. "I mostly succeeded and you should be out of danger… but now I am too weak to survive… I lost too much energy…"

"Mana, please stop talking like that!" Brandi begged. "You're fine. You're just tired, like every time you heal me. After resting, you'll be fine, I know you will be!"

Mana smiled weakly. "There is no use in denying it…" She stiffened, and then murmured, "Brandi… I love you…" as her eyes slowly drifted shut. Then her breathing ceased as she went limp.

Brandi stared at her, unable to believe what had just happened. "No…" she whispered, her voice barely audible from her shock.

Max, Hope, and Matt had just woken up when the calm silence in the house was broken by Brandi's sorrowful scream.

"MANA!"

To be continued…


	16. Reuniting of Loved Ones

Ok. I am finally writing again. After a month-long vacation with dad and some time after that to just laze around, I'm in the mood to continue once more. It feels good to be back on track!

For the last time I updated the visions Will sees in the church. You can go and look back if you wish, unless I see something absolutely vital that I missed, that will be the complete version. About time too.

Moonjava: Why thank you, I enjoyed writing it!

john: Eh, there were hints for relationships everywhere, although Larka and Zack certainly didn't get as much time as Hope and Max to show it. Anyway, call me a stick in the mud but I don't like many comedy shows like that.

Captain Obvious: Yep, I love touching scenes like that. Hopefully updates will come a lot quicker from now on…

Demon Fan: Hey, don't look at me. Things happen sometimes. It may seem like a pointless thing to occur but there really is more to it than that.

Epyon: Oh no! Don't 'sick' them on me! And keep that Armads away, darn it! I'm working, see? I got a chapter up after all! But seriously, thanks a lot for reading all the arcs, reviewing them, and still wanting more! I'm glad you like it! Please keep telling me what you think of them, your comments are hilarious!

Even though Time Mage will probably not be seeing this chapter, I still send a thanks in your direction for reviewing my earlier chapters. Who knows, you might get to this chapter and see it someday.

**Chapter 16: Reuniting of Loved Ones**

Hearing Brandi's cry, Matt leapt up instantly after he detached his Envoyant Machine and Duel Disk, running towards her room. Max started to follow, but hesitated, glancing back at Hope.

"I'll look after her," Gaston assured, kneeling down beside her. That was all Max needed to hear before he was off running again.

When he arrived in the room, Matt and Abby were already there, standing nearby the doorway while staring at the scene.

Hime sat next to the bed, her eyes downcast. Brandi was sitting up in the bed, holding onto Mana's body as though it were a lifeline while her tears fell. Seeing how still Mana was and how she did not react to Brandi's hold made Max instantly guess what had basically happened.

"Brandi… what happened?" Abby asked softly, going up to the bed and sitting next to her.

Her daughter did not even look up, still sobbing uncontrollably.

Seeing that Brandi was not in any state to explain what had occurred, Hime began to speak. "It seemed like Brandi would die from her sickness at any time. Mana tried to purge it from Brandi, and although she was successful, it took too much of her own life force. Now… Mana…" Hime shook her head.

Silence filled the room, only broken by Brandi crying, as everyone tried to grasp what she had said. Max especially felt a large amount of pain from what had been announced. After living for so long with basically just his sister and their Soul Monsters, he had known Mana very well. To have her lost to them would have hurt severely at any time, but to have it happen so quickly, without warning…

Although Abby had not known Mana as well, she had grown attached to her in the short amount of time they had lived with each other. This was not something she could easily accept either, and she knew that Chasity, when she learned of what had happened, would not get over it for quite some time.

As for Matt… he would mourn, but would spend most of his time trying to comfort Brandi. That Abby knew full well.

"Hime…" Abby began, looking over at Mana's body.

"I understand," Hime said.

Abby lightly placed her hand on Brandi's shoulder. "There is nothing more you can do for her."

Brandi did not respond.

"Please… let go of her," Abby whispered.

Still, Brandi remained as she was.

Matt approached them, glancing at Abby. She nodded, and moved aside. Matt sat down next to Brandi and said, "She wouldn't want you to react like this. It won't help to hold onto her corpse. She gave up her life for yours, and she would not be able to rest in peace if she knew you were going to remain like this."

For a moment, Brandi did not react. Then she finally laid Mana's body down, and let Matt wrap his arms around her as she continued to cry.

Hime picked up the corpse before leaving, with Abby and Max quietly following her. They knew Matt would be more qualified for handling this situation.

Hope and Gaston had remained in the living room, both feeling very anxious over the cry they had heard. Tenma wasn't around; he must have reentered his Soul Card instead of going to the real world. So it was just the two of them in there, waiting.

Then Max, Abby, and Hime came into the room. Although both of them caught sight what Hime carried, Gaston was the one who said, "Mana! Is… is she…"

"I am afraid so," Hime replied softly.

Once more, silence reigned over them. After a few moments, Hime said, "I must take care of Mana's body. Please remain here while I do so."

"You won't wait until Brandi is here?" Gaston asked.

"She is traumatized by this. Seeing Mana like this again will only hurt her all the more," Hime told him.

"I see," was all Gaston said.

Hime then walked out of the room, to the front door, and exited the condo. After going to the ground level, she lay Mana down and clasped her hand around Mana's wrist.

After a few seconds, she nodded grimly. A pulse-a weak pulse, but one nevertheless-had proved that her suspicions were correct. Mana was not dead, but was in a deep coma. Hime was not sure she would ever even manage to come out of it. For all she knew, Mana would be better off dead.

But as long as she continued to live, there was a chance she would wake up. She knew, however, that Abby would disapprove of giving Brandi false hope. Hime was well aware that there was no guarantee that Mana would be able to come back.

There was only one option left that Hime could think of. Being a spirit monster, she had a special ability that few, if any, knew about. She could access a space in between the real world and Teknisk Wereld that seemed to be merely an area of emptiness, or a location simply to separate reality from the virtual world. Since nobody else could access it though, it seemed like a safe enough area to keep Mana. There she could remain until she finally awoke... if she ever did.

It was the only option Hime could think of. She cast aside her final doubts as she began the procedure to reach the area.

…

After Hime had left, Abby turned her attention to Hope, who was still lying on the couch. Seeing how ill Hope looked, she went to her side at once. "Are you injured?"

When her eyes met Hope's, she found she did not need an answer. The pain reflected from them told her that her assumption was correct.

"She recovered from some of her wounds in Teknisk Wereld," Max said to Abby, causing her to turn back to him. "But I couldn't heal them all. I know you're a lot better at that kind of thing than I am… would you help her?"

"Of course," Abby replied, leaving the room to get the items she would need. Knowing he would only get in the way, Max left the room, leaving Hope and Gaston alone for a few moments. Neither of them spoke, but Gaston kept a hand on Hope's shoulder, trying to offer her a small amount of comfort despite her enormous amount of pain.

Abby returned shortly, carrying a first aid kit. "Gaston, please step aside. I need room to work."

"All right." Gaston went out the same way Max had, to the kitchen, understanding that she would prefer to be alone with her patient.

Abby set the kit next to her as she kneeled down. "I will need you to show me where you are wounded."

"…My whole body hurts…" Hope whispered.

Abby wasn't sure what to make of that, so she asked, "Don't you have any injuries?"

"…My head… the side… and my neck…"

In response to this, Abby gently brushed away Hope's hair, and saw dried blood. But after she cleaned it off, there seemed to be no wound. Her neck seemed to be fine as well.

"I believe Max healed those," Abby stated. "Is there anything else?"

After a moment of hesitation, Hope softly said, "…My side…"

Abby looked at her shirt, and saw that the left side was stained with blood. She lightly pressed that side, causing Hope to gasp. Confirming that was where she needed to look, she pulled up her shirt.

This revealed the horrible injury that Max had given her. Although the Red Potions had healed it slightly, it was still open somewhat. Abby's mere touch had caused it to begin bleeding again.

With a wince, Abby picked up one of the medicines beside her and began to apply it to the wound. "So that's the main problem. Hope, how did you acquire such an injury?"

Hope hesitated, not wanting to reveal the identity of her attacker to Abby.

"It might help me decide what to use on it if you tell me how it happened," Abby insisted. "Please tell me."

Hope thought for a moment, and then finally responded. "…Max…"

"What? Max did this to you?" Abby said in shock.

Seeing her reaction was taking a turn for the worse, Hope said, "…He kicked me… several times… But it isn't… his fault…"

Abby's eyes narrowed as she applied another salve to the wound. "I do not see how it could not be his fault in a case like that."

"…He wasn't… in the right… state of mind… please don't blame him…"

Abby did not respond to this. She silently finished treating the injury to the best of her ability and then wrapped several bandages around it to keep the bleeding under control. After helping her get a clean shirt on, Abby cleared away the medical supplies. She put away the kit before going to the kitchen, where Max and Gaston had been silently waiting.

"I've done all that I can," Abby said. "Gaston, you can go back in now. Max, I wish to speak with you, alone."

Gaston took the hint at once. "Thank you," was all he said before exiting the room.

Once he was gone, Abby turned her attention to Max. "Why did you attack Hope?"

At first, Max didn't respond. Then he said, "I was told lies, and I believed them like a fool. I thought Hope hated me…"

"And you thought that was true? I cannot believe it… I just cannot believe that you would attack Hope like that," Abby said, her eyes flashing with anger.

"I regret it now! But then, it seemed like I was being told the truth, and the part of Thanatos I still had enhanced my reaction," Max retorted without thinking.

Abby paled, and managed to say, "Thanatos? Are you saying you were Thanatos?"

Max silently cursed his carelessness. To avoid stressing Abby even further than she already had been, they had avoided telling her who Thanatos really was. But now it looked as though the game was up.

"Yeah… Thanatos was me," Max admitted. "He's gone now, but when he was here… he was me…"

After a moment of stunned silence, Abby said, "How could you do that? How could you attack the people who befriended you, and do what you did to your own brother?"

Max was already feeling defensive about the whole situation, but these questions stung him. He stood up quickly from the chair he had been sitting in, and snarled, "My brother? Don't you mean my half-brother? Maybe if his father hadn't been around, this never would have happened!"

"Don't try and pin the blame on Jason!" Abby shouted. "You have no reason to accuse him for what you've done!"

From the other room, Hope and Gaston were able to hear their argument. Hope glanced at Gaston, eyes filled with concern that temporarily blocked out her pain.

"Don't worry. They'll stop soon," Gaston assured, although he himself was not sure if he spoke the truth.

"I don't have any reason? I think I have more than enough of a good reason to say his actions might have made me what I am today!" Max told her. "If he hadn't forced me to watch that execution, who knows what would have happened to me?"

"Execution?" Abby asked, her eyes widening. "Do you mean…"

"Yeah, I do! Jason forced me to watch that bank robber die, and told me it was my fault that he was killed! So I basically lived with that guilt for six years!" Max shouted. "And you loved a man who would do something like that?"

Abby was taken completely off guard by this information. All this time, she had thought that the reason that Max and Brandi had fled were because she had been a terrible mother. But in the light of this…

Abby shook her head. "Your father… Randall… he had told Jason to take care of us if anything should ever happen to him. Jason was only trying to fulfill his friend's last wish!"

"Taking care of and marrying are not the same thing, now are they?" Max retorted.

Abby flushed slightly from anger at this statement. "Maybe not, but…"

"Stop!"

They both spun around, surprised, to see Chasity. Tears were falling down from her eyes and she shook slightly, but she still looked them in the eyes. "Quit fighting!" was all she said before running back the way she had come.

"What was that all about?" Gaston asked as she ran back into the living room. She did not stop to respond though. Instead, she grabbed Hope's Envoyant Machine, which had been left lying on the ground, and sped back to her room.

Max and Abby had arrived in the living room just in time to witness this. Abby went to the door that lead to Chasity's room and tried to open it. At Max and Gaston's inquiring glances, she shook her head. "It's locked. She must have gone to Teknisk Wereld…"

"I don't blame her for wanting to get away from here," Gaston stated. "Despite the fact that she did not see Mana's body, that scream probably told her what happened. Mana's death was bad enough, but your arguing only added to it. It's all too much for us to expect one young girl to handle."

"Yeah… sorry about that, mom," Max said guiltily.

"I am too," Abby replied. "We can settle it later. Right now, we have to find Chasity, and quickly."

"The sooner you two go off to try and do that, the better," Gaston said. "I'll inform Matt and Brandi where you went, and then I'll remain with Hope. Is that acceptable?"

"Thanks, that would be a great help," Abby answered. "I'll get Hime and then we can go…"

"I'm here," Hime said, coming up. "What happened?"

"I'll tell you as we leave." Abby looked over at Gaston. "Hopefully, we will be back shortly."

"Yes, let us hope so," Gaston nodded, heading towards the room where Matt and Brandi were.

Max and Abby got their Envoyant Machines and went to the living room. Hope looked over at them worriedly.

"We'll be back soon," Max assured. "You need to rest while we're gone, ok?"

"…Be careful…" Hope said quietly.

"Of course," Max replied before lying down and turning on the machine. He went still instantly.

"We are only going to get Chasity," Abby told her. "Hopefully it will not take long." Then she was gone as well. Hime vanished also.

Gaston walked into the room, casting a glance at the two figures on the floor. "Good, they're already there. Now all we can do is wait…" He looked over at the clock, and started, realizing it said it was nine thirty. "Oh no! We completely forgot about meeting up with the others! They'll probably be searching for us by now!"

"…Are you… going there… to contact them…?" Hope asked weakly.

"No," Gaston answered. "Not now. I will remain beside you as long as you are ill, and you certainly can't go to Teknisk Wereld until we get your Envoyant Machine back from Chasity. When Max returns, we can ask him to help us deliver the news. Will that work?"

"…Yes… thank you…" Hope smiled faintly.

"Try and get some sleep while you can," Gaston advised, sitting down next to the fold-out bed. "You need the rest to recover, and I'm not about to go anywhere."

"…All right…" Hope closed her eyes, trying to dismiss her worries.

…

"You have any fives?" Rue inquired.

"Go Fish," Draken grinned.

"I hate my life," Rue grumbled, drawing.

"Don't worry, you're not the only one," Draken said cheerfully. "Got any tens?"

"I hate your life as well," Rue informed him as he handed over the cards.

"Don't worry, you're not the only one," Draken repeated as he glanced at the addition to his hand.

"Geez, even I could probably beat him at Go Fish, and my luck is horrible most of the time," Miles joked.

"At least you admit that," Gen said.

Will seemed more concerned about the time. "In about half an hour, we should begin searching for Hope and Max. I'm still disturbed that they haven't shown up yet."

"They're probably fine," Sakura commented. She was currently watching Amy and Claire free duel. It seemed Amy had the upper hand at the moment, but Claire's constant healing cards were hurting her Fire Princess theme.

"Let's hope so," Amy replied, wondering why the heck she had not gotten a Drug Reaction yet.

Kazel was about to say something, but then she saw that Kisara seemed even more pale than usual. "Kisara? What is wrong?"

"It's nothing…" Kisara said softly. "I have just been having this bad feeling… I felt it ever since we arrived at the mountains, but instead of getting better, it is getting worse with every passing second…"

"It was probably that creepy temple we stayed in," Sakura shuddered. "Even I'm still freaked out from that place!"

"I do not think that is what is behind it, but thank you anyway," Kisara said. "I will get over it soon, most likely."

"And I am a mere hatchling," Kazel snorted. "Quit putting up the brave front. You are in enough pain for me to notice."

"Maybe you're coming down with something," Neo suggested. "Max might have passed Brandi's sickness to you by accident."

Will shook his head. "It's a possibility, but not a very likely one."

"You aren't wounded anywhere, are you?" Larka asked.

"No," Kisara shook her head.

"Then there is little we can do but wait and see," Zack stated.

"Tell us if it gets unbearable, all right?" Claire said.

"I will. Thank you all for your concern," Kisara smiled.

"No problem," Rue replied.

"You didn't do anything," Draken pointed out.

"Oh shut up. Got any fives?"

"Go Fish."

"How about you go die?"

"Thanks for the offer, but I'll pass."

…

Chasity was not thrilled with the area she had arrived in. The ground was entirely covered with snow, and a fierce wind was blowing, sending snow flying everywhere. She was already freezing cold, and without a Duel Disk or support cards, she had basically no way of keeping warm.

Still, she did not want to go back to the real world and have to face what was waiting there. Trying to keep her mind off those thoughts, she walked on, not really caring where she was going.

After a few minutes of walking, she came to a rather small hill. She was just beginning to climb it when she heard someone speaking. Curious as to whom else would possibly be here, she sank down into the snow at the top of the hill and peered down cautiously.

There were two women standing there. One of them wore a white long-sleeved robe of some kind that had a purple cross design over the chest area. The robe and cross were outlined with gold, but her gloves were pure white. She also had white high-heeled sandals of sorts. Her long blonde hair went a bit past her shoulder blades. On top of her head, she had a gold tiara with a beautiful white jewel set in the center. Her blue eyes had a kindly look to them.

That was probably why Chasity liked her more than the other woman there. She wore a blue leather bustier that showed more cleavage than was necessary and a blue V-shaped leather strap that basically only covered what was necessary. She had blue leather gloves that went almost completely up to her wrists and matching leather high-heeled boots, along with a blue choker that looked somewhat similar to a collar. Her very light blue hair was kept in two ponytails that went down to about the middle of her back. Her skin was very light, which made her chilling dark blue eyes stand out all the more. Clipped onto her side was an even darker blue whip that had several light blue shards of what looked like very sharp ice embedded within it. It seemed more like a torturer's tool than a standard weapon.

Just looking at those eyes of the second woman made Chasity want to flee. But she was too nervous to try moving, afraid that she would be overheard. So she remained where she was and listened to what they were saying.

"You still haven't found the second Limiter, Light?"

"No. I honestly didn't expect to find him-or her-this soon, after all. You know how long it could take."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm aware. But Juno doesn't like the idea of taking longer than Sarius," the second woman pointed out. "You'd best hurry it up. We can't rely on the males to hold Sarius' friends off forever."

"I know how important it is," Light stated. "But he has probably not had much luck either. Tell Juno that I am still working on it, all right Tundra?"

"I get it, ok? But there is a parallel world connected to this one," Tundra said. "In which world are you looking?"

"The parallel one. There is a wider variety of people there, and most people spend their time there. Besides, Teknisk Wereld itself is very small. I am sure Sarius would have found the second Limiter if he or she had been here frequently."

"Fair enough. I'll tell Juno where you'll be then. You know the meeting time?"

"I have a good memory," Light said. "So I guess I will head off."

"You do that," Tundra said, fingering the whip at her side absentmindedly.

Light noticed that it seemed as though she had not gotten to use it lately, due to the lack of bloodstains. "Looks like none of the Limiter's companions came this way."

"Yes, and it so irritates me. I was hoping to have the pleasure of killing at least one or two," Tundra sighed.

Light shook her head, and then brought up her Duel Disk. "Well, best of luck until we meet again."

"You'll need luck more than I," Tundra stated.

"Probably," Light agreed before she selected an option from the menu of her Duel Disk. She vanished instantly.

Tundra waited for a second longer, as though making sure that Light would not come back. Then she abruptly spun around, looking straight up the hill. "There is no use in hiding. I have known that you were there ever since you arrived. And after hearing all that…" She pulled out her whip, and cracked it. "I certainly can't let you leave alive."

Terrified, Chasity stood up but couldn't bring herself to run as Tundra lunged towards her, whip flying. It hit her in the stomach, tearing through her skin in several locations, the ice shards slicing through her flesh like a freezing knife through hot butter. Chasity fell back, rolling down the short slope and landing on her stomach, sending another unbearable wave of pain through her. Blood poured from her wounds, staining the snow she lay on.

"If you are wondering why you are not dead yet, it is because I need something to take out my stress on," Tundra said as she calmly walked down the bloody path the girl had tumbled down on. "I plan on shredding all of your flesh before landing the killing blow. That is, if you haven't died by then already. I am fairly good at missing vital points when I wish to, but the effect of the cold on one as young as you might be too much…"

Chasity weakly raised her head, looking up at Tundra as she approached, her whip eagerly waiting to cut into her again. Now she was truly helpless, and she knew it. Death did seem inevitable… and Tundra's icy eyes did not dispute this realization.

…

_She was in front of the painting once more, staring into Obelisk's red eyes and Osiris's yellow ones. They looked as though they were at long last awake. Ra still seemed asleep though._

_Satan appeared to be slumbering, yet by how tense his body seemed, it was as though he would wake up any moment. The figure to the right seemed even closer to emerging. Hope caught sight of a bloodshot eye before the figure suddenly vanished. Hope knew, somehow, that he would not be coming back for some time, if ever._

_"He will not serve you… he never meant to… he is just as faithless as I…"_

_Hope turned to see the speaker from behind her, but all she managed to see was a pair of familiar red eyes before the speaker was gone._

_"Traitor… that one is a traitor… the other merely needs time…" Hope heard Satan whisper. "You are unlike them. You are obedient, have power beyond boundaries, and the means to acquire it. You would be perfect, if not for her. Now that much of her is gone, you are nearly free. Come back to me, my most loyal servant. Join me once more…"_

_Hope could not resist. There was something he wanted, something he needed, and she had to get it for him… _

_But for the first time, she felt hesitation. What did he mean by much of her was gone? Who was her?_

_Her vision blurred, and she surrounded by darkness. Then she spoke, words she had never even thought before torn from her mouth from desperation._

_"No… I don't want to lose myself… I don't want to be cast aside… I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" she cried out, not knowing why she yelled them but knowing that they were important, very important._

_She could see Satan once more._

_"You are not going to die, one who is known as Hope, because you never existed. You cannot die if you were never alive. Hope is a mere illusion for who you really are. She had overtaken you, but her very existence is now split, due to her foolish actions. Cast what remains of her aside. Let her fade into nothingness, while you stand at my side. Discard that mockery of a name, and become what you really are…"_

_She tried to close her eyes, but was frozen, unable to move in the slightest, not even to breathe…_

_"…Become…"_

_"NO!" Hope screamed, suddenly pulling herself away from the grip that had been over her. Then she felt herself falling, falling, falling forever…_

_But even this was better. She could not hear what she was… that would be the end of it all… end of it all…_

…

Gaston was watching Hope anxiously, but did not dare awaken her. She was not moving, but her face was etched with pain as she slept. It had been that way ever since she had fallen asleep, and Gaston was almost positive that she would be in just as much agony if he awoke her. It was better to let her sleep.

Suddenly, Gaston saw a tear escape her closed eye, rolling down her pale cheek. Alarmed by the abrupt change, Gaston put his hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her in a way he was not sure would even make a difference.

…

_It was cold… it was dark… it was empty… did she even exist anymore?_

_But then her falling halted, and she felt a warmth spread through her body. Something nearby… or someone? _

_She remained there, still and quiet as she basked in this sudden warmth. She did not know how long she stayed there, for there was no time in this place… no events whatsoever…_

_Until she heard the voice._

_"My daughter… I want to help her… please, let me come to her aid! I will risk all that remains of me if I must, just let me save her!"_

_Hope was not sure where the emotion she now felt came from, but she soon identified it as concern for this man's voice. Once more, she spoke as a light came out from inside her. "I shall provide an opportunity. You must do everything else on your own."_

_The light circled around something. The light nearly revealed the person, yet he remained in shadow._

_"Thank you…"_

_Then he was gone, and Satan's voice was whispering in her ear again. _

_"Once more, your false image loses a part of herself. She will soon be gone… forever…"_

_And she felt a cold hand upon her forehead, even though she could see nobody._

_"No… please… STOP!"_

…

Gaston suddenly heard Hope whisper something. In the quiet, he was able to make it out as, "Stop…" amidst her heavy breathing.

"Hope?" Gaston got up and then sat down on the side of her bed. He gently laid his hand on her forehead, and nearly gasped. Despite how fevered and hot she should be, her skin was ice cold.

Then her eyes flashed open. For a moment, she could not figure out where she was. But when she saw Gaston, everything came flooding back into her mind.

"Are you ok?" Gaston asked worriedly. "You seemed to be having a nightmare."

"…Gaston…" Without thinking, she sat up, throwing her arms around him as she cried.

Realizing that whatever dream she had experienced must have been traumatizing, he leaned back against the couch while pulling her into his lap, arms around her comfortingly. "It's going to be all right. I'm here for you, and I always will be ready to protect you. Even in your sleep I shall guard you. Know this, so that you may relax. Close your eyes and allow me to watch over you."

Gaston was not even sure if she heard his words, but she gradually calmed, her grip loosening. He thought he heard her whisper, "Thank you…" before she grew limp, asleep once more.

He had no idea what had caused her to be like this, but he also knew that she did not want to be left alone. So he pulled over the blanket she had been under, wrapping it around her and keeping her in his arms. He was not sure if his presence would really help with whatever was happening to her, but it was the only thing he could think of, and he was willing to try anything to help her.

Gaston remained there, watching over Hope as she slept. But this time, her breathing seemed much more peaceful.

…

Chasity tried to keep her gaze on Tundra, but fear overcame her. She shut her eyes, trembling as she approached.

Seeing the state her victim was in, Tundra smirked, bringing up her whip. Then she brought it down without warning.

Chasity heard the whip connect with a crack, but to her surprise, she felt no pain. Tundra's gasp of shock was even more confusing to her. She forced her eyes open, looking up nervously.

Before her stood a man. He wore a black shirt and black pants with matching shoes. His white hair tilted slightly to the left side. His brown eyes held a tired look to them on most occasions, but now they were narrowed as he stared at the woman before him.

In front of the man was a clear barrier that was fading away. Judging by the way Tundra's whip was now lying limply on the ground, it seemed as though it had failed to get through the barrier last time, and that Tundra had realized that it would be useless to try again. Glaring at her new opponent suspiciously, she said, "Who are you? How did you suddenly appear out of nowhere?"

"I believe the answers to those are unimportant," Randall replied calmly. "I am more concerned with how you were trying to assault this girl. She has done nothing to deserve your wrath, nor does she have any means of defending herself. Your attack was unprovoked, and to the point of threatening her life. Do you think I can simply let you get away with that?"

"Unless you want to be put through the same pain as she will feel, I suggest you let me get away with it," Tundra threatened. "Although, now that you have interfered, I cannot let you leave this location alive."

Randall couldn't help but laugh at that. "That is a very poor threat, at best. I suppose I cannot blame you for not knowing though…" Then he brought forth his Duel Disk. "You will not, however, find me as easy of a target as a defenseless child. If you wish to carry out your sentence, you will have to use something other than physical force."

"So it seems like I'll have to participate in one of these pointless duels after all," Tundra sighed, bringing out her own Duel Disk. "Fine then. I'll play along with your silly little game."

"It is not like you have a choice if you wish for us to die," Randall stated. "I have no Soul Monster, but you may bring out your own now."

Tundra's eye twitched. "I will pass, thanks."

"It can't be that bad," Randall said.

Tundra wordlessly brought out her Soul Card and brought forth the monster. It was an ugly-looking one, to say at the least. It seemed to be some kind of woman that floated, since she had no legs. She was dressed like some kind of native, with a green grass skirt and a pink, yellow, and red shirt, with a blue lei. On each of her arms, there was a wooden shield with a grinning face painted on, and in each of her hands she carried a sharp axe. She also had a headdress made of pink feathers. Her eyes were nearly closed, and she had an evil, toothy grin that, combined with her large, round nose, made her look all the more hideous.

"Sorry, I was mistaken," Randall smirked.

"Shut up," Tundra snapped, returning the Soul Monster to her card. "Apparently, it's a Blade Arm Hane, and it's completely useless. I won't use it in battle."

"She must at least have a name," Randall said.

Tundra grimaced as she said, "Tiki."

"Her name is quite fitting, just like she is to you as a Soul Monster," Randall told her.

"Enough of this useless talk!" Tundra snapped, activating her Duel Disk. "The sooner you lose, the sooner I may return to what I was doing!"

"I am afraid that you will never be able to continue it, because I have ended it, as I will end your life," Randall stated, turning on his own Duel Disk.

Chasity had been watching this all in awe, wondering who this man that had mysteriously appeared was. She felt as though she could trust him, and not just because he was defending her from Tundra. There was something else to him that made her feel safe…

As if he knew she was thinking about him, he looked back at her. His gaze softened as he said, "Just hold on. It will be over soon."

Chasity nodded, unable to speak. Once he had turned back to Tundra, she sat up, wincing as her chest flashed with pain. However, it did not hurt as much as she would have thought. She was able to remain in that position, where she would be able to see the duel more easily.

…

Will suddenly put a hand to his forehead, wincing. Neo was the only one who happened to see this, but everyone else turned to them as he asked, "Are you all right, Will?"

"Yeah… it's just a headache," Will replied.

"That's what you get for reading all the time," Rue joked.

Neo shot a glare his way. "I know Will better than anyone else, and I am sure that he has never gotten a headache from reading of all things." Neo turned his gaze back to Will. "I felt something strange when you reacted, but it wasn't pain. Will, tell the truth this time. What was it?"

Will hesitated, and then sighed. "Ever since I went into that room in the church, I've been seeing strange things. In my ordeal, I saw many, many visions. Many of them have already come to pass, but there are others that I still have no idea as to what they mean."

"Ordeal?" Amy asked, confused. "You mean when you went into the lake to get Rue back? Hope mentioned something like that." She looked over at Kisara. "But Kisara and Kazel weren't there; they're probably completely lost."

"Draken told us about it a while ago," Kisara responded quietly, still seeming in pain but paying close attention.

"Can you tell us about some of them?" Claire asked.

"Most of the time, I can't remember ones that have not happened yet," Will explained. "But the others I can recall very clearly. From the way the ordeal showed them, they happened in a certain order. The first one was Max facing Obelisk. The next one had three figures that I think were Malady, Viken, and Vlad. Then I saw one of Brandi lying on the ground as someone else-I assume Max-ran away. After that was a cloaked figure-Thanatos-lying on the ground in the forest. After that, Zack when he was lying in the condo, unconscious." Will grimaced. "My next vision was of my skin being branded, but I felt it, instead of seeing it. That was when I got infected with the Black Snake Sickness."

"And after that… all the things you said when you were delirious…" Larka said, beginning to catch on.

Will nodded. "Yes, I was seeing the things I had seen in the ordeal. Miles had been staring at a house that was on fire. Hope had just gotten out of a river, trying to catch her breath. Fell was bleeding heavily while Larka was crying over him. Draken was talking to Kisara. Thanatos was trying to strangle Hope. Brandi was being struck repeatedly with a whip. Larka was talking to Matt, who seemed enraged. Miles was talking with Gen. Rue seemed off balance when he was sitting in a chair, and he happened to say my line."

"So that's why he hit me," Rue grumbled, still feeling a bit sore towards Will about that incident.

Will ignored him as he continued to list what he had seen. "Zack was combating a mechanical robot. Fell was fighting with what I assume was one of those wolf soldiers that you described to me. Zack was facing Osiris. Brandi was lying in bed, in serious pain-probably when she had her fever. The Child was gazing at a his golden ball, which was glowing. Juno was talking with his Mavericks. Sarius was talking to Larka, who seemed to be shocked by what he was saying. Draken had reached into a hat and pulled out a card." Will's eyes narrowed. "I still can't tell what this next one means. Hope was kneeling over someone… I think it was Max. Light was coming out of her."

"Don't worry. It will probably be explained when we meet up with them again," Perseus stated. "Anything else?"

"Yes, but these next ones I do not quite understand either. Fell grabbed Miles by his bandana and pulled him back, away from something," Will said.

Miles winced. "That already happened, and I hope it doesn't occur again. I nearly got nailed with a cannonball from Wave's Soul Monster."

"Wave Trident was the name of the Maverick we faced," Gen explained to everyone's confused looks.

"But Fell saved you? Are you sure you weren't hit with the cannonball and dreamed this all up?" Rue asked.

"Miles speaks the truth," Daine answered.

"What possessed you to do that, Fell?" Neo asked.

Fell glared at him while saying, "May we continue?"

"Right," Will said. "Zack was talking with Larka, but that could have happened at any time. I am not sure what importance that holds."

Larka blushed slightly while Zack simply said, "Maybe we will discover why it holds significance later."

"Perhaps." Will thought for a moment, and then said, "Mana was sitting beside Brandi while she was lying in bed. Again, I don't know what this means. That was all I had seen, until now. The newest vision I had was of Chasity, who was behind a man that was dueling a woman. She seemed to be injured…"

"Could you recognize who the duelists were?" Sakura asked.

"No," Will replied.

There was a moment of silence as everyone considered this. Then Gen said, "At the moment, there is little we can do. We might grow to understand what happened later, but in the meantime, there is no use in worrying over it."

"That is true," Kazel agreed. "However, future visions that you may have could give us assistance that we desperately need. If you have more of these, please tell us. It could make all the difference."

"All right," Will nodded. "I'll inform all of you if I happen to see anything else."

As everyone returned to what they had been doing, Will could not help but still feel uneasy. Still, he knew he wouldn't gain anything by thinking about it, so he returned to his reading.

…

Even before Max opened his eyes, he knew where they were. No other area in Teknisk Wereld was this cold, after all.

"Is this really where Chasity is?" Max wondered.

"I do not know if we arrived in the right area, but we have no other leads to go off of," Hime stated. "We should search around here first."

"All right." Max brought out his Soul Card, and Tenma appeared immediately. He looked at Max questioningly, seeming to sense his urgency.

"Max! What is this?" Abby exclaimed, shocked.

"My new Soul Monster," Max replied. "I can explain later." He turned back to his companion. "Tenma, I need you to try to find Chasity. You have a strong sense of smell, right? If you can remember hers well enough, try to catch her scent in the wind."

"I should be able to recognize it easily enough," Tenma stated as he began to sniff. After a moment, he said, "She is not here."

"We'll continue moving through the area then. If you smell her, tell us at once," Max ordered.

"Of course, master."

…

Randall: 8000

Tundra: 8000

"You would not debate to me wanting to go first, I assume?" Tundra said.

"I would actually prefer it," Randall replied. "I'd rather have a decent challenge, you see, even if hoping for that from you is impossible."

Tundra glared at him coldly. "You will regret your decision. I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"Actually, I do not think I will," Randall said. "First, I play Fusion. By combining my Big Koala and Death Kangaroo, I call forth Master of Oz!" (4200/3700)

A large kangaroo with a face that resembled a koala bear's appeared. It also had boxing gloves, which it held out in preparation to strike, while Tundra looked at it in disbelief.

"You expect to beat me with something like that?" Tundra finally managed to say.

"It will not finish you this turn, but it will do a massive dent to your Life Points," Randall stated. "I equip Master of Oz with Big Bang Shot, which raises his attack by 400! (4600/3700) More importantly, he also gains the ability to deal damage to you even when your monsters are in defense mode. Then I activate Wild Burst! This magic card can only be used on an Animal or an Animal Warrior Sub-Type. It takes the amount of defense that monster has and adds it to its attack. (8300/3700) Now my Master of Oz attacks!"

The kangaroo sent forth a strengthened fist, completely obliterating the monster that appeared from the defense card. The power behind the punch was so strong that it continued to go straight through the monster without pause, smashing into Tundra.

Tundra got up, looking livid as she slid her monster into the Cemetery. "You've destroyed my Sentry Golem…" (800/1800)

Randall: 8000

Tundra: 1500

"Normally, Wild Burst would cause my monster to be destroyed at the end of my turn," Randall said. "But I have a way of getting around that. I activate another magic card, Mysterious Chinese Nabe. I choose one of my monsters on the field and choose attack or defense. In this case, I choose attack. By sacrificing the monster, I gain Life Points equal to that stat."

Randall: 16300

Tundra: 1500

"I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn," Randall concluded. "Although I have no cards in my hand now, I feel as though it was well worth it to put you into this position."

Chasity was completely astonished by the play. Ender was the only other person she had seen that could pull off a combo that could rival the power of that first turn. But still, she was used to that, while this new duelist had taken her by surprise.

Tundra glared at him as she drew her card. "I will not allow myself to lose to you, even if this is just a stupid card game! I lay one monster in defense mode and a card face down to end my turn."

"I will summon Sage Keiroon." (1800/1000)

"In response, I activate my trap card, Houou Wing Air Burst!" Tundra said. "I have to discard a card from my hand to use it, so I'll get rid of Designator of the Twilight Zone. It returns a card from your field to the top of the owner's deck. I'll choose to have Sage Keiroon put on top of your deck."

"I can live with that," Randall shrugged. "It's your turn."

Tundra smirked as she saw what she had drawn. "I lay another card down and flip over my Penguin Nightmare!" (900/1800) "When reverse summoned, he sends a monster back to your hand. Since you only have one, the choice should be obvious. Penguin Nightmare also raises the attack of all Water Main-Type monsters on the field while he is out. (1100/800) He attacks you directly!"

Randall: 15200

Tundra: 1500

"Then I sacrifice him for a monster in defense mode. I'm done."

"I'll resummon Sage Keiroon," Randall said. "He attacks your defense monster."

"You attacked my Criosphinx!" (1200/2400) Tundra sneered. "A wasted effort for you and a benefit for me!"

Randall: 14600

Tundra: 1500

Randall sighed. "That is all I can do."

"I place two cards face down," Tundra said. "That's it."

Randall looked at his next card and nodded. "This should work. I activate Sage Keiroon's effect! By discarding a magic card from my hand-in this case, Sebek's Blessing-I choose a magic or trap card on your side of the field and destroy it. I will destroy the one to your left!"

"It was Massive Breakdown," Tundra said, not looking overly worried.

"All right. My Sage Keiroon will attack your new defense monster!" Randall declared.

Tundra flipped over one of her cards. "I activate Forced Ejection Machine! This returns a monster on the field to your hand."

"That is not a big threat," Randall said, placing his Sage Keiroon back into his hand.

"Actually, with my Criosphinx out, it is," Tundra told him. "When he is face up, whenever a monster card is sent back to its owner's hand, the owner is forced to discard a card of his or her choice."

"Then I will discard Skull Dog Maron," (1350/2000) Randall decided.

"I was hoping you would get rid of that," Tundra smirked. "Now I can activate my trap card, Mind Crush! I call a card's name and if you have it in your hand, you are forced to discard all the copies of that card. If you don't have it, I would have to discard one of my own cards, but I know that you have your Sage Keiroon in your hand. So I can call that without fear."

"Yes, that was the only card in my hand," Randall said as he discarded it. "Since there is nothing else I can do, I end my turn."

"I lay one monster in defense mode, and that's all," Tundra stated.

Randall looked at his card and shook his head. "I lay one monster in defense mode, and end my turn."

"I have you now!" Tundra declared. "I flip summon Guardian Statue! (800/1400) When I flip him over, he lets me return a monster to your hand. And due to Criosphinx, you will have to discard that card."

"Another Skull Dog Maron," Randall said, not seeming impressed.

"I attack you directly with Guardian Statue!"

Randall: 13800

Tundra: 1500

"After that, I use his effect, which allows him to be flipped into face down defense mode once per turn. That is all," Tundra concluded.

After looking at his card for a moment, Randall said, "I pass."

"How unlucky for you," Tundra sneered. "I flip over Guardian Statue and attack again. Then I flip him face down and end my turn."

Randall: 13000

Tundra: 1500

"…I lay one card face down and end my turn," Randall said after a pause.

"I'll have Guardian Statue attack once more."

Randall: 12200

Tundra: 1500

"I flip him facedown again, and that is all."

Despite the fact that Randall was not doing anything to fight back at the moment, Chasity still felt as though she could trust in his ability. That combo had shown her just how strong this man's deck could get, and she was sure that he would be able to finish off Tundra in one blow if he just got the right cards.

"I play Jar of Greed to draw two cards," Randall said, doing so. Looking over them, Randall grinned. "It's over for you."

"What? How?" Tundra said, watching him warily.

"First, I summon Troy Horse," (1600/1200) Randall said. "Next I play Wild Burst on him, raising his attack by his defense. (2800/1200) Then I play a magic card, March of a Hundred Beasts! This raises all of my Animal Sub-Types' attacks by 200 per Animal Sub-Type on the field. (3000/1200) Finally, I activate my trap card, Meteor Rain! For one turn, I can inflict battle damage even when a monster is in defense mode." He laughed as he saw Tundra's eyes widen in horror. "You know of the story about the Trojan Horse, right? How it was supposed to be a gift from the gods, only to hold the secret to destroying the people who received it? Consider this my gift to you. A fitting end after what you have done, I should think. Troy Horse attacks Guardian Statue!"

Tundra held up her arms over her chest as though to block the attack, but it did little good as the Troy Horse rammed into her at full speed, going straight through her defending Guardian Statue.

Randall: 12200

Tundra: 0

…

Tenma halted abruptly, sniffing the air again. Then he growled, "I can smell her."

"How far away is she?" Max asked.

"Very close," Tenma answered.

"Then lead us to her!" Max ordered.

"Understood," was all Tenma said before he went towards where he could sense Chasity.

…

Chasity felt relief flood through her as the monsters on the field vanished, the duel done with. But that quickly turned to fear once more as Tundra lifted her whip, seething with rage.

"You think I care who the better of us at playing games is? It only matters in real fights! Only the strong win there!" She brought her whip crashing down, but it was deflected by another Attack Nullification.

"You must really want to die," Randall commented, reaching for a card at his side.

But before he could do anything, they heard a horrible snarl. A brown blur suddenly came crashing down from the sky, landing on Tundra. She only had time for a cry of surprise before the beast ripped her apart, leaving behind little more than bits of fabric, flesh, hair, much blood, and a few shreds of her Soul Card to remind them that she had existed.

Max, Tenma, Abby, and Hime had just come over the hill and were greeted with the sight of the beast slaughtering Tundra. The first thing Max thought was _that must have hurt. _But just before he was about to comment on it, he also saw Chasity, who was staring at the scene in horror, and a man whose identity did not register into any of their brains immediately.

Randall had been watching the scene, a bit startled by the sudden attack. When he came around to his senses, he turned to see if Chasity was all right. But then he caught sight of the four others standing there.

They all instantly recognized who he was when his eyes met theirs. Abby gasped, and then fell. Hime barely managed to catch her before the unconscious woman hit the ground. She credited this to reflexes though, as she was shocked too. Although she had never met Randall, due to being created after his death, she still recognized him from the locket Brandi now wore. Tenma, sharing Olympion's memories of the duel he had been in against Randall, also knew who he was. Max froze, still as a statue as he stared at him.

Randall broke the silence by saying, "Long time no see."

Max finally managed to say the word that he had been shouting mentally. "Dad?"

"Yep. At least we met under better conditions this time," Randall said, smiling.

"W-what?" Chasity managed to stammer. She looked over at Max, then to Randall, and then to Max again. "He's…?"

"Yeah… he's my father-and your father as well," Max said, still looking stunned.

"But why… why didn't you tell me?" Chasity asked, her eyes glistening.

Randall did not respond at first, but then he walked over to Chasity, kneeling next to her, and slowly reached towards her. When he touched her cold skin, he sighed in relief. "I was worried that I would once again be lost, as a spirit. After Max defeated me, I was unable to travel to heaven. Instead, I was trapped in a limbo of sort, merely a spirit. When I saw that you were in danger, I wanted desperately to help you." He smiled again. "Someone must have heard my pleas. I thought that after I had helped that I would return to my spirit form, but I haven't. I can even… feel other people, now…"

There was a silence after this, but this time, a new voice shattered it.

"What about us? Don't we get any love?"

They spun around to see the monster that had destroyed Tundra. It was a large two-headed beast that stood on four legs. Its whole body was covered in light brown fur except for the lower parts of its legs, which has some longer, dark brown fur that separated the legs from the paws. Each paw had three silver claws in the front and one in the back. It had two large wings coming out of its back, which were silver as well. Its tail was actually a thick brown snake, the end of the tail being the head that flicked its tongue at them continuously. The heads were different in appearance. The left one seemed more narrow, with less fur, although the top of its head and neck was covered with the dark brown fur. Two large, curling, silver horns produced from its sides. The right head had much more fur, the dark brown fur wrapping around it like a mane. A single silver horn came from its forehead. Both heads had eyes that were black and muzzles filled with sharp, silver teeth that could tear an enemy apart in seconds.

"Ah, yes. Thank you for assisting us," Randall said, rising. "But who are you?"

Both of the monster's heads seemed quite offended by this remark. The one that had one horn spoke first. "You don't know me? Oh the humanity! I mean, I can understand forgetting _him_…" With this, the head indicated to the other as best as it could. "But you forgot me?"

"Hey! What was that supposed to mean?" the other head snapped. "You were the one who gave him the most trouble anyway!"

"Oh, is that right? And who was it that happened to eat all of the chips left in the bag on the table that one time he set it aside?" the first head pointed out.

"What? You did that! And you ate the cake at that one birthday party that they had!" the second head accused.

"Yeah, that was pretty darn good… er, I mean, no, you did that! And you took the remote control when he was trying to watch television!" the first head retorted.

"Well you tore up the sofa when you were sharpening your claws!"

"And you ripped apart the bed mattresses doing the same!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Well… your mom!"

"OH NO YOU DIDN'T!"

"OH YEAH I DID!"

"IT'S ON NOW FOOL!"

"BRING IT!"

Then they were tearing at each other, their body rolling around in the snow as their flailing limbs and their jaws hacked at each other.

Everyone watched this in disbelief, not knowing what to say. Finally, Max yelled, "JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION!"

The fighting came to a halt immediately, and the slightly-battered creature sat down. The first head calmly said, "Sorry about that, we get carried away sometimes, but it's always his fault…"

"No it isn't!"

"Don't start again," Randall said in exasperation.

"Our apologies, Randall," the first head said. "We're your Soul Monster, a Winged Phantom Beast Chimera, formed from a Phantom Beast King Gazelle and a Baffomet. If you want to refer to both of us, call us Gaba. As for individual names, I'm Ga, and the ugly-looking one is Ba…"

"Huh? I thought my name was Ba," the second head said. "When did we change names?"

Ga looked about ready to take a bite out of Ba, so Randall hurriedly asked, "How can that be? I shouldn't have a Soul Monster anymore…"

"When your soul came back, so did we, just in a new form," Ga explained. "We were originally one monster with a few… uh… personality issues, as you might recall. This new form makes things so much easier…"

"Yep, you get to deal with both of us. Aren't you lucky that you at least have me to balance out him?" Ba grinned.

"More like he's lucky to have me to help deal with you!" Ga said.

Randall put his head to his forehead. "I'm so… happy… to have the two of you back…" he muttered sarcastically.

"We knew you would be!" they chorused.

Randall sighed, and then walked over to where Max, Tenma, Abby, and Hime were. "Well, it looks like both of you have new Soul Monsters too."

"Yeah…" Max glanced at Abby, and said, "I'll take care of Chasity."

"All right," Randall nodded, taking Abby from Hime and shaking her slightly, trying to bring her around.

Max went to Chasity, who was shakily standing now. "How do you feel?" he asked.

"Cold…" Chasity said softly, not knowing what else to say.

Concerned by this, Max lightly felt her hand, and winced. "We have to get you out of here right away. You'll have to hold onto my Duel Disk, ok?"

"Sure…" was all she said, still dumbfounded.

Randall had finally managed to bring Abby around. When her first sight after waking up was the husband she had thought long-departed, she nearly fainted again. Instead, she suddenly threw her arms around him, nearly bringing him down on top of her.

"Seeing those two happy always gets me," Ga commented as he watched the two embrace each other.

"That's probably the only thing we'll ever agree on," Ba stated.

By the time they were done, Max had prepared his Duel Disk for going back. Abby did the same, but said, "How will you come back with us?"

"I could try holding onto your Duel Disk, like you're doing with Chasity," Randall suggested.

"Better than nothing," Max said, recalling Tenma to his Soul Card. Then he vanished with Chasity. The others disappeared afterwards.

…

Gaston was watching Hope, whose breathing had remained steady, when he saw Max and Abby stir. Hime appeared a second later.

"Hey, nice to see you guys returned," Gaston said, keeping his voice low to not disturb Hope. "Did you find Chasity?"

"Yeah, she should be back…" Max said. Then he looked over at Randall. "Good, you made it too."

"Luckily," Randall replied.

"Not so luckily," Hime muttered when she saw that Gaba was there too.

"Huh? Why wouldn't Abby have come back?" Gaston asked, looking confused.

Max just looked at him, wondering if he was joking. "I was talking about my father."

"Your father? Huh? Isn't he… um…" Gaston trailed off, still not catching onto what Max was saying.

That was when they heard a door open and saw Chasity stagger in, still looking very pale. Abby rushed over to her at once, looking over her. "Are you all right?"

"My stomach…" Chasity managed to say, wincing.

"What? What's wrong with…" Abby trailed off, her eyes widening as she saw that her daughter's red shirt was even more deeply shaded from blood. "Oh God!"

"That woman… her whip…" Chasity said, shaking. In the cold, Chasity's entire body had been numb, which was why she had forgotten about her wounds. But now…

Abby instantly led her away, Hime following anxiously. After they were gone, Max turned back to Gaston, ready to set him straight, when he saw Hope had woken up.

"Oh… sorry about that," Max said as he realized what had probably done so.

"…It's fine…" Hope whispered.

Ga raised an eyebrow. "Whoa, what do we have here? A girlfriend of yours? Nice choice!"

"Better than anything you could possibly get," Ba stated.

"Hey! At least I know how to treat women, unlike you!" Ga snarled.

Seeing Max glancing at Gaba, Gaston asked, "What are you looking at?"

"Oh, right. This is Gaba, Dad's moronic Soul Monster," Max said in exasperation.

"Huh? What are you talking about? There's nothing there," Gaston said, not following at all.

"…You can't see or hear him?" Max said in disbelief.

"I FEEL SO NEGLECTED!" Ga shouted.

"Well you deserve it," Ba said.

"YOU'RE ASKING FOR IT BUDDY!"

"THEN GIVE IT TO ME!"

"I THINK I WILL!"

They started thrashing around wildly again, crashing into a small table nearby and sending it flying. Gaston stared, eyes wide. "Have I gone crazy?"

"…I can't see anything either…" Hope said, very confused.

Randall's attention on his Soul Monster was suddenly torn away when he heard Hope's voice. He turned to her, looking at her in astonishment. He had seen her before, when dueling Max, he knew, but that wasn't what surprised him. He could remember hearing that voice, when he had begged to be allowed to help Chasity. But she had talked to him? How was that possible?

Randall shook his head. He did not understand any of it, but he knew that this girl was responsible for helping him save his daughter. That alone made him grateful. So he went over to the couch, putting his hand on her shoulder and saying, "Thank you."

Hope looked up abruptly, seeming shocked. "…I… I just felt and heard someone…"

"But you can't see Randall or his Soul Monster? I certainly can't," Gaston said.

"…No… but I recognize his voice…" Hope said. She closed her eyes, and then said, in a firmer tone, "Only his loved ones will be able to gaze upon him."

"Say what?" Gaston asked, still confused.

Hope opened her eyes again. "…I don't know… why I just said that…"

"We need to get you healed as soon as possible," Gaston said, shaking his head. "This is just too much for you to handle." He turned his gaze to Max. "We should tell the others what happened to us and show them Hope's condition. They might have an idea that would help her."

"Right," Max nodded, and then glanced at the clock, which read 9:55. "We should be able to make it before ten if we teleport into the correct area." He turned to Randall. "We'll be back soon, ok Dad? You should see Brandi and Matt. They're in Mom's room." He looked away. "Brandi's in a bad state…"

"All right. I will go at once. Until later," Randall said, walking off to the hall, leaving Ga and Ba to wrestle.

Gaston helped Hope get her Envoyant Machine on and then sent her off while he vanished. Max followed seconds later.

Randall soon arrived at the door, knocking once before entering. Matt and Brandi both looked up. Matt instantly went pale, staring in disbelief, while Brandi seemed as though she had been petrified too.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Randall said as a greeting, going over to the bed and sitting on the side of it.

"D-dad? Dad!" Brandi exclaimed, throwing herself onto him.

Matt blinked several times as he saw the happy reunion. "Great. Grief has caused us both to lose our minds."

But Matt certainly wasn't about to break the illusion, if it was such a thing. He just watched, feeling more content than he had in a long time.

To be continued…


	17. Rivalry

This is basically the closest thing to a filler chapter this arc. Either way, it's short. I like how it went myself.

John: I love emotional chapters myself.

Demon Fang: They have one effect but I am not sure if it will ever be shown. It will probably have a chance eventually.

Captain Obvious: Yes, it quite could.

Epyon: The Chimera is pleased. Well, both parts of them anyway, although Ga wonders how you can possibly like Ba more than him! Glad you loved the chapter.

**Chapter 17: Rivalry**

At around nine thirty, Sarius, the Child, Raid, and Cyrus were waiting in the church. They had arranged to meet with Aya, Adene, Mach, and Shadow at ten, but none of them had arrived yet. Sarius wasn't worried; most of the time, they came in at the last minute. Sometimes Shadow would be late, as would Mach if he was forced to drag him in. Most likely, this time, it would be no different.

That meant Sarius had about thirty minutes of free time. He didn't intend to waste them.

_Might as well get it over with now, _Sarius thought, rising from the front pew he had been sitting on. _It may be the last chance we have in this world._

The Child looked over at him inquiringly. Seeing the glance, Sarius answered his unspoken question. "I am going outside temporarily. I will be back before the others arrive, most likely. If by some chance they do make it before me, tell them to please wait for my return."

Understanding what he was up to, the Child nodded and leaned against the back of the pew. Cyrus was equally silent as Sarius and Raid left.

Sarius and Raid emerged from the lake onto the shore. There was nobody else there at the moment, but Sarius was sure that would soon change. He remained there, seeming to be relaxed while his senses were really on the alert.

Raid was the first to react when the man finally appeared in the distance. He growled, rising to a ready position. Sarius looked over at the figure, but did nothing else.

In a few short moments, Bolt stood in front of him, his usual confident smirk on his face. "Looks like you were already waiting for me, Tirran."

"I know the routine," Sarius replied. "Going to try and win again?"

"I attempt that every world," Bolt stated. "You know full-well that I consider you to be my greatest rival. Despite the fact that I've lost every time so far, these matches are still the things that provide the most fun for me."

"So I have noticed," Sarius said. Although he and Bolt had fought many times with each other before, it never got old to them. Sarius had emerged the winner in all their confrontations so far, but knowing Bolt, there was a large chance that would eventually change.

"However, this world brings about the question as to how we'll fight," Bolt told him.

"I would prefer to duel with cards," Sarius stated.

"Fine. If that's the way you want to do it," Bolt shrugged, bringing out his Soul Card. Baou appeared instantly. "My Soul Monster is Guardian Baou. Yours?"

"Chaos Emperor Dragon, although he is called Raid," Sarius replied, activating his Duel Disk. "Shall we get started?"

"I believe there are no more words that are needed to be said," Bolt agreed.

Sarius: 8000

Bolt: 8000

"You may make the first move," Sarius offered. "It seems you lost your last duel, after all."

"The Limiter was not bad at this game," Bolt admitted, drawing. "But she also had luck on her side. Let us see if you have the same. I lay one monster in defense mode and a card face down. That's all."

"I'll do the same as you, placing a defense monster and a card on the field," Sarius said.

"I summon Igzarion Universe!" (1800/1900) Bolt announced. "Then I activate Baou's Deck Master ability. By discarding a card from my hand, I can permanently raise one of my monster's attack power by 1000. So I will get rid of Meteor Rain to power up my Igzarion Universe! (2800/1900) Then I will attack after I activate his effect! By reducing his attack by 400 for this turn, he does damage to you even if your monster is in defense mode!" (2400/1900)

"I activate my trap card in response to your attack," Sarius stated, flipping it over. "It's called Wicked Barrier-Dark Force. It can only be activated when my opponent attacks. When done so, it removes all of your defense monsters from the game."

"So my Shine Angel (1400/800) is gone for good… not that it matters," Bolt shrugged. "My attack still goes through, correct?"

"Yes, but that is not necessarily a good thing for you," Sarius pointed out. "You have attacked my Twilight Zone Female Warrior." (2000/2100)

"Not her again!" Bolt growled, remembering how Larka had used her.

"It looks like you recognize her; I wouldn't be surprised though, seeing as Larka does run her," Sarius said. "That means you must know what her effect is. I'll remove both her and your Igzarion Universe. Despite that, I still take damage from your attack."

Sarius: 7700

Bolt: 8000

Bolt then noticed something. "Wait a minute. How are her stats that high? They were much lower the last time I saw her."

"That would be due to Raid's Deck Master ability," Sarius explained. "He raises the stats of all my Light and Dark Main-Type monsters by 500."

"Well, won't that be quite the boundary to overcome?" Bolt said. "Go ahead, do your worst. I end my turn."

Sarius looked over his hand. "For now, the best I can do is to summon Swift Black Ninja. (2200/1700) He attacks you directly."

Sarius: 7700

Bolt: 5800

"Not the most threatening play you could make," Bolt smirked. "I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"I summon Blade Knight," (2100/1500) Sarius said. "Swift Black Ninja attacks your defense monster."

"It's my Gear Golem. (800/2200) Not exactly the easiest thing to get by," Bolt informed him.

"I'm sure I'll find a way soon enough," Sarius replied, not looking very concerned. "It's your turn."

"You will have to, because that monster will continue to stand in your way," Bolt stated. "I equip him with Raregold Armor. This forces you to choose him as your attack target at all times. I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

Sarius glanced at the card he drew, and placed it on the field at once. "I lay one monster in defense mode. I am done."

"That means I can finally summon this," Bolt said triumphantly. "I sacrifice my defense monster, Aztec Statue (300/2000) to summon Millennium Scorpion!" (2000/1800)

Sarius eyed the six-legged creature apprehensively while it stared back from the single eyeball on its body. "And what is so special about that?"

"You will see shortly. I attack your defense monster!" Bolt decided.

"You've revealed my White Ninja," (2000/1300) Sarius said. "Since you flipped him over, his reverse effect is activated. He destroys one defense monster on your field, so your Gear Golem is gone."

Bolt watched the White Ninja's shurikens fly into the Gear Golem, causing it to fade away. "No big loss at this point. I only needed him long enough to get Millennium Scorpion out. Now that he's killed one of your monsters, he'll be all I need."

That was when Sarius noticed that the monster had seemed to grow in size slightly. "What happened to it?"

"Whenever Millennium Scorpion destroys one of your monsters in battle, it gains 500 more attack," Bolt explained. (2500/1800) "Now that it is that strong, it should be considerably safe from your attacks. I end my turn."

"I would not be so sure about your Scorpion being able to ward off all of my monsters," Sarius said. "I lay a monster in defense mode, and three cards face down. This means that my Blade Knight's effect comes into play. Do you know what that does?"

"I've seen Blade Knight used, but only as a monster to sacrifice. So I have no idea what he does," Bolt answered.

"When I have one or less cards in my hand, his attack increases by 400. (2500/1500) That puts him dead even with your Millennium Scorpion's attack power. I attack him, killing both!" Sarius declared.

"Afraid not," Bolt said. "I activate my trap card, Dark Spirit of Silence! This allows me to negate your attack and choose another monster to try attacking instead. I will have your Swift Black Ninja attack. Not only do you lose your monster and some of your Life Points, but my Millennium Scorpion also gains 500 attack." (3000/1800)

"Not bad," Sarius commented as his Swift Black Ninja was torn into bits.

Sarius: 7400

Bolt: 5800

"Why thank you. I thought it was rather brilliant myself," Bolt smirked. "Anything else?"

Sarius shook his head. "No."

"You might be thinking of trying to stall to find a way of destroying my Millennium Scorpion," Bolt said as he drew. "But that will only make the situation worse for yourself. I play Early Burial. By paying 800 Life Points, I can bring back a monster from my Cemetery into face up attack mode. I choose Gear Golem."

Sarius: 7400

Bolt: 5000

"Then I sacrifice it to summon Legend Devil!" (1500/1800) Bolt continued. "I discard Satellite Cannon from my hand to have Baou raise his attack by 1000. (2500/1800) Millennium Scorpion attacks your defense monster!"

"It was my Twilight Zone Observation Machine," (1300/1700) Sarius said.

"My Millennium Scorpion gets yet another attack increase. (3500/1800) Legend Devil attacks you directly! It is your turn after that," Bolt finished.

Sarius: 4900

Bolt: 5000

"Considering you have been playing for less time than me, you are doing quite well," Sarius told him as he thought over his options.

"I prefer sparring with weapons instead of cards, but I will do what I must when it comes to adapting to a world," Bolt stated.

"True enough," Sarius agreed. "Anyway, I summon Twilight Zone Survivor. (2300/700) It is your turn."

"Why would you summon that in attack mode of all things?" Bolt asked.

"Igzarion Universe, and more importantly, Meteor Rain," Sarius said simply.

"Ah… already you have been able to figure out that I have cards that specialize in causing my attacking monsters to do damage to you no matter what mode your monsters are in," Bolt realized. "As quick as ever, Tirran. But that is not my deck's specialty. You should be able to figure that one out when I explain what Legend Devil does."

Sarius noticed that Legend Devil seemed to be growing in a way that was very similar to Millennium Scorpion. "All right, go ahead and tell me."

"Every one of my standby phases, his attack goes up by 700," Bolt said. (3200/1800)

"An infinite attack deck," Sarius concluded.

"Exactly. Thanks to the types of monsters I use, the right cards to support them, and Baou to continuously raise their attack, I have unlimited power," Bolt stated.

"It is true that a deck using that strategy can be very deadly," Sarius said. "But it also has a fatal flaw. You only have two monsters, and barely any cards in your hand. What would happen if I were to destroy those monsters?"

"That is why I will not give you the chance to do so," Bolt answered. "You were wise to keep your monster in attack mode, for now I equip my Millennium Scorpion with Meteor Strike! This causes him to do damage to you even if your monster is in defense mode. Millennium Scorpion attacks your Twilight Zone Survivor, which also raises his attack once more! (4000/1800) Legend Devil attacks you directly!"

Sarius: 500

Bolt: 5000

"Are you done?" Sarius asked.

"There's nothing else for me to do," Bolt said.

"First, I play Angel's Gift to draw three cards and discard two." Sarius looked at the cards he had drawn, and smiled. "You were indeed quick to get me down to this amount of Life Points, but you were still one turn too late. I discard Mirage Dragon and Destruction Ring. Then I remove Swift Black Ninja and White Ninja to special summon Chaos Soldier!" (3500/3000)

"What?" Bolt exclaimed as the mighty warrior appeared on the field, sword and shield at the ready.

"Chaos monsters can only be special summoned by removing a Light and Dark Main-Type," Sarius explained.

"So your deck is based around these monsters? How fitting for you, Tirran," Bolt said.

"Very much so," Sarius agreed. "Then I summon Wandering Hero, Freed!" (2200/1700)

"Another one I recognize," Bolt stated. "But again, I don't know his effect."

"I can remove two Light Main-Types from my Cemetery to destroy a monster with higher attack than him," Sarius told him. "I remove Blade Knight and Mirage Dragon to have him destroy your Millennium Scorpion!"

"It seems that both of my monsters are doomed," Bolt said as his Millennium Scorpion was hacked apart. "But you cannot win this turn."

"You did not take my Chaos Soldier's effect into account," Sarius replied. "If he attacks a monster, he is allowed to attack again. I will have him destroy Legend Devil, attack you directly, and then have Freed deplete the rest of your Life Points!"

Sarius: 500

Bolt: 0

"Damn it," Bolt muttered as he turned off his Duel Disk and dismissed Baou.

"It was a good duel," Sarius said as he did the same.

"Perhaps it was, but still…" Bolt glanced down at his katana. "I wish to face you in physical fighting as well."

Sarius considered for a moment, and then drew a sword that looked identical to Bolt's, except that the blade was black. This sword, named Shibien, would have surprised the members of the group, for they had never noticed the sword sheath that had been covered by Sarius' trenchcoat. "Very well then. We shall combat once more!"

With a fierce grin, Bolt pulled out his katana and lunged at Sarius instantly. However, Sarius was used to such tactics, and was more than ready to parry the blow.

Moving too fast for the normal person to be able to see clearly, Sarius and Bolt exchanged strikes. But like usual, they were so evenly matched that it was impossible to predict the victor. They could have kept up this battle for a rather long time, but suddenly, they both halted, facing each other again, their swords pointed towards the ground.

"If your companions are returning, that must mean mine will be arriving shortly," Sarius stated, sheathing his sword. "So I shall take my leave."

"Another draw then," Bolt concluded as he did the same.

"Yes." Sarius turned back to the lake and stepped into it. All he said before vanishing was, "Until the next world." Raid, who had been patiently waiting for the swordfight to finish, went in after him.

Bolt's only response was the same, cocky smile that he usually wore. Then he turned his gaze to the top of the slope, where he saw Flame.

"How did it go for you?" Bolt asked.

Flame shook his head.

"Lost, huh? So did I," Bolt admitted. "They're better than some opponents we've fought, that's for sure." Bolt looked at Flame's expression. "You don't seem to be regretting it much though."

Flame shrugged, but any more conversation they might have had was abruptly cut off by the arrival of another Maverick.

"You two lost?" Gale said in disbelief as he came over to them. "Were your opponents really that strong?"

"When it came to this card game, yeah," Bolt replied. "How did you do?"

"I don't even want to talk about it," Gale growled, still feeling bitter about the embarrassing loss he had faced. "Let's just say I had to give my word that I wouldn't interfere with their group again."

"That means the three of us are out," Bolt said. "So that leaves Dark, Wave, Gaia, and Tundra, since Light is searching for the second Limiter."

"Dark should have at least won his," Gale stated.

"Probably," Bolt agreed. "I wouldn't put too much faith in the others, but who knows. Maybe they managed to get the idiot of the group, if there was one."

"Unfortunately, I was the one to get him," Gale spat.

Bolt stared at him. "And you lost?"

"It was bad luck! Bad luck I say!" Gale protested.

"I'm sure," was all Bolt said on the matter. "But that really does not raise my hopes. Juno himself might have to deal with them."

Gale nodded. "He would be able to take care of them. Wasn't Tirran the one to defeat him before in this world?"

"Yeah. He beat one of those group members first, but then Tirran interfered," Bolt answered. "I think the guy's name was Will?"

Flame blinked, and then indicated to himself.

"You fought him? But you lost your match. Does that mean he got stronger since Juno faced him, or that Juno is just far more experienced than us when it comes to this game?" Bolt wondered.

"Who knows, and who cares?" Gale said. "Juno will probably just go straight for the Limiter if he has to do any work himself."

"Most likely. But we won't know until we talk to him," Bolt replied. "We should report to him now. The others will probably arrive soon."

"They might have already entered through another area of the shore," Gale pointed out.

"True," Bolt said. "Then there's all the more reason to go now."

Without further discussion, they entered the lake as well.

To be continued…


	18. Soul Bond

Yes folks, it's another chapter! I'll be writing these things pretty quickly for the next few days, since school starts next week. I have to get as many done as possible before then.

Epyon: Wacky is not the word I would use for Juno. But yes, yes, the plot once more thickens.

John: Hehe, you would enjoy their expressions.

Captain Obvious: Juno… perhaps. You'll have to wait and find out. As for Juno's reaction, you shall see shortly.

Demon Fan: Sorry, but Bolt is notorious for losing to Sarius, although they often draw when it comes to fighting. I had a great vacation, thanks. Sorry about the typo, I didn't even notice until you pointed it out! I usually type author notes last, in case I think of something new to add in it or a person reviews at the last minute. Many apologies.

**Chapter 18: Soul Bond**

When Sarius stepped into the church, he saw that only one person had arrived so far. He went over to her and the Child at once.

"So you arrived already, Aya?" Sarius said as a greeting. "How long did I keep you waiting?"

"I have only been here for a few minutes," Aya replied. "Not very long, in other words. But I came early to tell you something."

"Yes?"

"I didn't get the chance to test one of the group members," Aya explained. "She seemed ill, so I held off for the time being. I plan on leaving shortly to see if I can find her again."

"Who was this girl?" Sarius asked.

"Judging from the descriptions you gave, I believe she was the one you called Hope," Aya stated.

"Hope, eh…" Sarius said. "She's an odd one. I feel as though something is unique about her, but I can't exactly pinpoint what." He shrugged. "Either way, go ahead and try to find her. In fact, keep the whole group in one place. Adene, Mach, and Shadow will follow you after I tell them what to do."

"All right. See you soon." Aya went over to the doors and pushed them open, leaving in a flash of light.

The Child looked up at Sarius as he sat down next to him. Guessing what his unspoken question was, Sarius said, "Bolt is not a bad duelist, but I had experience."

In response, the Child nodded, but he remained silent, gazing at the golden ball he held. Occasionally, it would begin glowing, only to fade.

"The time to release it will be soon," Sarius said. "What that means for this world is what I do not know."

The Child gazed at him questioningly.

"I will use it when I face the Limiter," Sarius told him. "I know I will have to be the one to face her. To motivate her into wanting to fight back, I will have to wager something."

After considering his statement, the Child nodded again, and no more words or gestures were exchanged between them.

…

Bolt could immediately tell that something had ticked Juno off. He had an annoyed look as he went over to them, Zorc remaining a bit away from the four of them.

Gale looked around the area. "None of the others are back yet?"

"No. And they will not be coming back," Juno stated.

"What? Why not?" Gale asked, confused.

"They're dead," Juno spat, looking disgusted. "Gaia, Wave, Tundra, and Dark were killed."

Gale's eyes widened. "Dark was killed? No way!"

Even Flame seemed surprised, while Bolt blinked a few times. "That's a shock. I thought he had the most chance of succeeding out of the rest of them."

"Will you be bringing him back to life?" Gale inquired.

"Of course, but not at this moment. I assume all of them lost their bodies, so it will take some time to revive Dark," Juno said. "Hard to believe that he died in such a manner. I won't be letting him forget it any time soon."

"What about the other three?" Bolt asked.

"I have had enough of their failures. They will remain dead this time," Juno stated. "I am sure we will be able to find much more suitable replacements later."

"I can't exactly say I'll miss any of them," Gale muttered.

Juno ignored him. "Bolt, it seems you were unable to defeat the Limiter."

"Not with cards," Bolt said. "She beat me, so I'm not going to be able to go against any of them again."

"It seems that way." Juno turned to the other two. "Flame, Gale, did either of you win against your opponents?"

"No," Gale sighed and Flame shook his head.

"I must have underestimated them," Juno said as he considered this information. "I had thought at least a few would fall, but I was wrong." He paused as he thought, and then said, "All of you are to remain near this area."

"So you're going after the Limiter?" Bolt assumed.

"I will search for her," Juno stated. "First, I plan to check on Light's progress, but then I shall find the Limiter. If the three of you are bound on honor to not fight any of them again, then there is no need for any of you to come. So stay here."

"Ok, we'll do that," Gale said as the other two nodded.

"Then I will set out at once," Juno concluded as he walked away, Zorc following him.

When he was gone, Bolt said, "How about you give us a recount on how your duel with the group idiot went, Gale?"

"How about you shut up before my katar makes you?" Gale growled, turning away.

"I was just making a suggestion to pass the time," Bolt laughed, but he did not press the matter. He knew he could probably win in a fight against Gale, but with half of their members already dead, there was no sense in taking risks.

…

"It seems like we're back where we left off," Max commented as they realized they had arrived in the damaged area of the forest.

"Still, we should be able to leave here quickly," Gaston said, still carrying Hope.

Max brought out Tenma, who glanced around the clearing before turning to his master.

"I need you to keep a look out," Max ordered. "If you sense anyone coming near us, tell me."

"As you command, master," Tenma said, sniffing the air. Then he took the lead, going into the trees, as everyone else went after him.

…

"All right, last chance… do you have any fours?"

"Go Fish."

"GO FISH THIS!" Rue snarled, throwing the cards in his hand at Draken.

"Someone has a temper problem," Draken grinned as he collected the cards and shuffled them into the deck.

"You would have won that anyway," Rue grumbled.

"At least you admit it," Draken said.

Will put his bookmark in his book and closed it. "You might as well put those away, Draken. It's about time to search for them."

"What, it's ten already?" Draken asked, surprised at how quickly the time had gone by.

"Just about," Zack said.

"Hang on, we're about to deck out anyway…" Claire said, pointing at her deck, which had only a few cards left. Amy's was in the same condition.

"We really should be going soon," Kazel pointed out.

"We're nearly done," Amy assured. "We've been playing this same duel the whole time, so we want to see who will finally win."

Draken looked at the field, and said, "It looks like a draw to me. You both decked out at the same time."

"Huh? That can't be right," Sakura said, turning her gaze to where Draken's was. Then she blinked. "Um… where did they go?"

Noticing the remainders of their decks were missing, Amy's eye twitched. She stood up and turned to Miles. "Very funny. Now give them back."

"What? I didn't do anything," Miles said innocently.

"Then what are those supposed to be?" Amy asked, pointing at the stack of cards next to him.

"My own deck," Miles replied.

Amy glared at him. "In that case, what do you have in your Duel Disk?"

Miles grinned nervously. "My… secondary deck?"

"You could have made a better lie by saying the cards beside you are your side deck," Sakura pointed out.

"Oh… that's true. Well… it was all Gen's idea!" Miles said before bolting towards the forest.

"Thanks, friend," Gen muttered, picking up the cards he had left on the ground and handing them to Amy. "Put all the blame on me when you were the one who did it."

Amy separated her cards from Claire's and gave them back to her. "Now I know why I didn't get any of my Drug Reactions. They were the last three cards."

"Ouch," Claire said, collecting the rest of her cards and shuffling the deck before sliding it into her Duel Disk. "That was good for me though; I would have been slaughtered if you had gotten one out."

"Possibly," Amy shrugged. "But it was too close to be able to tell who would have won."

As the rest of them started to follow Miles, Larka noticed that Kisara seemed to still be pained. "Kisara? Are you feeling better or worse?"

"…Worse, I am afraid," Kisara whispered. "It is kind of hard to walk…"

"Do you want to ride me?" Kazel asked, lying down and spreading out her wings.

"Yes, thank you," Kisara said softly, pulling herself up onto Kazel's back.

"It must be convenient, to have a Soul Monster that you can ride," Miles commented as he came over to them when they got closer.

"You may think so, but what about providing an area in the real world for that Soul Monster to stay in?" Kazel pointed out. "It is not an easy thing to accomplish."

"Ack… I didn't think of that," Miles winced.

"Otherwise, yes, it is convenient," Kazel concluded.

Before Miles could respond to that, Amy came up behind him and punched him in the back three times.

"OW! What was that for?" Miles exclaimed, jumping away from her.

"One for me, one for Claire, and one for Gen," Amy grinned, walking past him and heading to the forest once more.

"I cannot say you did not deserve it," Gen commented.

"Gee, thanks for making me feel better," Miles muttered, grimacing as he felt his back. "That'll definitely leave a mark."

"Rule number one for a thief: don't get caught," Gen reminded him as they continued on.

"That is a really good rule, and I should actually make some effort to remember it," Miles sighed.

As they approached the forest, Daine abruptly stopped, growling. "I hear something approaching."

"What? Where?" Perseus asked, looking around.

"There!" Amy said, pointing at a bush that was rattling.

They all held their breaths, wondering what would come out. Would it be Max, Hope, and Gaston, one of Sarius' companions, or one of the Mavericks?

Whatever they were expecting, it did not come out. Instead, a small white rabbit hopped out, looking up at them with one eye. The other was covered by an eyepatch. Standing on its hind legs and counting its ears, it went up to about their knees.

Draken nearly facefaulted. "That's all it was? Just a stupid rabbit?"

Rue paled. "Just a rabbit? Rabbits are the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered rodents you'll ever set eyes on! And that's a Blade Rabbit!"

"Oh no…" Claire groaned as Ruecian put his hand over his eyes.

"Blade Rabbits have a vicious streak a mile wide! They're killers!" Rue ranted. "I mean, just look at that one! It's got huge, sharp teeth, it can leap about, and it has an EYEPATCH! A FREAKING EYEPATCH!"

"Oh for the love of God," Draken said in exasperation. "What is it going to do, nibble our fingers if we attempt to pet it?"

"Let's see you try to defeat it!" Rue shivered. "After my first encounter with one of those things, I'm not stupid enough to try again."

"You're right, you're not stupid; you're beyond stupid," Draken sighed. Then he brought out a support card, The Fused Sword, Murasame. The sword appeared in his hands at once. "Fine, I'll get rid of it if it's that important to you." Then he charged at the Blade Rabbit.

Seeing a threat coming towards it, the Blade Rabbit squeaked, and then opened its mouth. Its front teeth, which were already larger than normal, suddenly grew at an amazing rate. Soon they reached all the way to the ground, with edges as sharp as knives. Then it leapt up from the ground, slashing at Draken's neck. Luckily for him, it hit him just below his throat, or he might have been dead right there. As it was, he collapsed, bleeding, while the Blade Rabbit calmly leapt over his body.

"Jesus Christ!" Miles yelped, stepping back with wide eyes.

"I warned you!" Rue shouted. "But did you listen to me? Oh, no, you knew it all, didn't you? Oh, it's _just_ a harmless little bunny, isn't it? Well, it's always the same, I always warn them…"

"Rue, shut up," Claire said.

"But do they listen to me? Oh, no…" Rue rambled on.

"Please, Rue, be quiet already," Sakura growled.

"They _always_ think they know better than me…" Rue continued without noticing.

Amy finally couldn't take it anymore, and yelled, "IF YOU'RE SO KNOWLEDGABLE ABOUT RABBITS, THEN TELL US HOW TO KILL IT!"

"Huh? Oh, right," Rue said, reaching towards his card pouch. "I have a flawless method to kill them. Luckily, I have the cards to do it. Darche, you'd better get Draken out of there, or he'll be killed too. Everyone else, back away."

Seeing that the Blade Rabbit was far enough away from Draken to not be a threat, Darche rushed over, lifted him, and ran out of the way, while everyone else retreated a short distance.

Seeing that they were out of the way, Rue placed three cards into his Duel Disk. A grenade and a cross appeared above him. Then they began to shift, going into each other with a flash of light. When everyone could look up again, the grenade was golden, with a small cross emerging from it as the pin.

"I cannot believe I'm seeing this…" Zack muttered. Fell looked as though he was sharing those thoughts, while Larka simply seemed bewildered. Malon cocked his head, but continued to watch the scene.

Kisara had gotten off Kazel and was trying to get Draken to drink a Red Potion. He finally managed to swallow it, and sat up, breathing heavily. "What happened?"

"You got owned by a rabbit," Miles said, still seeming shocked.

"What the hell?" Draken said in confusion.

Then their attention was brought back to Rue as he began to count. "One… two… three!" Then he pulled out the pin and threw the grenade at the Blade Rabbit.

Everyone was forced to cover their eyes again as a huge explosion occurred. Finally, as it cleared away, they could look again. What greeted them was a crater, with fur and blood everywhere.

After a few moments of silent disbelief, Will walked up to Rue and smashed him over the head with his book.

"ARGH!" Rue yelled, his hands flying to his head. "Hey, I just saved all of your lives, and this is how you repay me?"

"That was the _stupidest_ imitation of Monty Python and the Holy Grail that I have seen," Will informed him.

"Well, it worked, didn't it?" Rue muttered, wincing. "You didn't have to hit me that hard, at least."

"I would have knocked you out if we didn't need to keep moving," Will said.

"So that was supposed to be a Holy Hand Grenade?" Neo assumed. "What did you use to make it?"

"Thieving Smoke Bomb, Offering to the Dead, and Fusion," Rue replied.

"And you've done this before?" Gen assumed.

"Unfortunately, he has," Claire sighed.

"Now I know why most people run away when they see you," Amy said thoughtfully. "As if I didn't know already though."

Before Rue could reply to that, another voice said, "What the hell is going on?"

They turned to see Max come out of the forest, staring at the scene, while Tenma walked beside him. He had heard the explosion and had come to check out the source, only to find the companions he had been searching for.

Rue was the first to react to Tenma, shouting, "AAAAAHHHHHH! IT'S THE BLACK BEAST!" as Malon ran behind Larka and whimpered.

Will smacked him again with the book. "Shut up and quit referring to that movie."

"Did I miss something?" Max asked, looking completely lost.

"You don't want to know," Sakura stated.

"But it's about time that we finally found you!" Miles exclaimed.

Kisara looked around the place where he had emerged, feeling anxious for a reason she did not know. "Where is Hope?"

"And who is that supposed to be?" Draken asked, indicating towards Tenma.

"He's my new Soul Monster," Max clarified. "He is not Olympion, even though he has all of his previous memories; call him Tenma."

"Hooray! I'm not alone anymore!" Neo said happily.

Max glanced at the group, and then turned his gaze to Will. "Neo?"

"Neo," Will confirmed.

"That explains," Max muttered. Then he turned to the forest. "As for Hope… well…"

"She's in bad shape," Gaston said as he emerged from the trees. "And we don't know what to do about it."

"What do you mean by that?" Larka asked, looking concerned.

Gaston went over to where everyone else was and laid Hope down. "You know what Max's condition has been like. Since Olympion has been gone, he's lost a vital part of himself. Hope helped him get back that part, but ever since then, she's been… like this."

Amy went up to her at once. "Sis? Can you hear me?"

"…Yes…" Hope whispered, opening her eyes.

Amy was shocked to see just how much agony Hope seemed to be in. After a moment, she said, "Hang in there. We'll find some way to help you."

"But how? This is something I've never even heard of," Gen said. "I doubt any of you have either. We really have no leads to go off of."

Knowing the truth of Gen's statement, nobody else could find anything to say. As much as Amy wanted to disagree, she knew she had no better idea of what to do than he did.

Then a noise caused them all to look up. It was Kisara, and she was walking towards Hope. But what was odd about this was that until this point, she had been moving slowly and trying to avoid unnecessary actions that would only cause her pain to get worse. Yet now she seemed unaffected by that as she approached.

"Kisara? What are you doing?" Amy asked warily.

"…I need you to stand aside, please," Kisara said after a moment.

"Uh… all right," Amy replied, surprised by the request. She moved out of the way, and Kisara kneeled next to Hope.

"What is the meaning of this, Kisara?" Kazel questioned, coming up to her.

Kisara paused for a moment, and then said, without looking up, "Gaston must be here as well."

Kazel blinked, and then looked over at him. She nodded. "I understand." Then, without warning, her tail shot out, wrapping around Gaston and pulling him over.

"Kazel! What's the meaning of this?" Gaston managed to gasp out, having lost a good amount of breath from her tail ramming him.

She released him from her tail's grasp, but only to hold him down with her claws. "Hold onto Hope. It will be necessary for the two of you to maintain this connection until it is over. Do not let her go."

Although very confused by what was happening, Gaston figured that arguing with a dragon that was twice his size and had him pinned down was not the wisest thing to do. Without argument, he reached over and took Hope's hand.

"Good." Kazel reached over with her tail and wrapped it around Kisara's waist. "Now we may begin."

"Begin what? What's going on?" Rue asked.

"We can only watch," Zack said.

"It'll be fine. We can trust Kisara," Draken assured.

"That's great, but Gaston looks like he's about to be pierced through by Kazel, good intentions or not," Miles pointed out.

"Kazel knows what she is doing," Darche stated. "Do not worry."

"I believe it is too late for that," Perseus said dryly.

Max was a bit wary on the whole matter himself, but if it had any chance of helping Hope, he wasn't about to interfere. Tenma glanced at him questioningly, but Max shook his head. "Let her do what she has to."

At first, Hope could not see Kisara's eyes, as she had bent her head and shadows had hidden them. But as her head rose, her green eyes, normally enhanced by a soft sorrow, were now blank. She lifted her hands to her heart, and said, in a monotone, "My role is to be carried out today. After this, my servitude is complete. Although it saddens me, I am also happy to have been able to help in any way that I could."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Rue muttered.

"If you'll just be quiet, maybe we'll find out!" Sakura hissed.

As these words ended, white light began to flow out of her chest. Most of it went into her hands, but some curled around Kazel's tail, and went around the dragon's body until it reached the clawed hand that held Gaston down. More of the light seemed to come from her chest as well, mixing with Kisara's, but it made it look no different. Gaston eyed the white light cautiously but did not say anything.

"I've seen this!" Will said suddenly. "This was another one of my visions!"

Rue wanted to turn his gaze to Will, but his eyes were fixed on the scene in front of him. He settled for saying, "What? You saw this too? If you've seen it before, can you explain what's going on?"

"I myself don't know," Will replied, falling silent.

Kisara looked at the white light she held, and then, in the same voice as before, said, "All of this is yours. I was merely holding onto it until you were ready to accept it. Now is the time for you to take it." Before Hope could respond to this, Kisara swiftly thrust her hands over Hope's heart.

A long flash of light and four screams were all the others were aware of. Then, as abruptly as it started, the light vanished.

Kisara nearly fell over, but Kazel's tail supported her. Kazel lifted away her claws to let Gaston up, and then lay down, looking exhausted herself. Gaston seemed to be fine, and managed to stay standing.

It was Hope that completely surprised them though. After Kisara had released her grip, Hope had sat up instinctively to see where she had gone. But when she noticed this, she also noticed that she felt no pain. She nervously attempted to rise, and was completely relieved when she managed to with no problems.

"Hope! Are you all right?" Max exclaimed, running over to her. Draken instantly went to Kisara, trying to keep her from collapsing once Kazel's tail fell limply to the ground.

"I think so," Hope replied, gazing at her surroundings. "I don't feel pained anymore, at least."

"I actually feel better than I have in a long time, if not ever," Gaston stated. "It's like I finally gained something that I was missing, but I never knew it was gone until now."

"But what did you do, Kisara?" Draken asked worriedly. "You look completely drained…"

Kisara thought for a moment, and then said quietly, "I don't know. I knew what I had to do at the time, but I do not know why…"

"Either way, take it easy," Draken said. "Are you actually hurt?"

"No, just tired," Kisara answered.

"I feel as though I could certainly use a good sleep," Kazel stated. "My bones are more weary than I can ever remember them being. It feels like I tried to fly through all of Teknisk Wereld in a day!"

"However, the pain is gone," Kisara said. "It is better this way. Hope is healed from whatever it was that was hurting her, and I would prefer to feel exhausted instead of in agony."

Draken nodded. "That's good news…"

"You're sure everything is all right now?" Max asked Hope.

"Yes, I feel fine," Hope said.

Miles couldn't take it any more, and finally said, "Why don't you guys just shut up and kiss each other already?"

Complete silence met this statement.

"Well, come on, it's completely obvious that Hope and Max, Draken and Kisara, and Zack and Larka all love each other," Miles said. "What's wrong with wanting them to admit it?"

Now it was Miles who was hit over the head with the book. "That isn't something you just say so bluntly," Will said. He examined his book. "I might have to buy a new binding for this when we're done here. It has been doing well so far though… Anyway, it would be more customary to let them admit it themselves." This statement was backed up by the fact that all three of the girls in question seemed to be feeling very awkward at the moment.

"Even Miles knew? I feel so left out," Rue sighed.

"Just now? You were left out from the start due to your stupidity," Miles said, quickly covering his head in case another strike was coming his way.

"At least I'm smarter than you in matters that don't involve love," Rue retorted.

"Want to bet?"

"How much?"

"A quarter."

"…You have that little faith in your own common sense?"

"No, that's all the money I have with me."

"Are you really that poor?"

"Yes, actually. It's not like I'm going to get a job or something."

"Why not?"

"I already work hard enough by stealing and playing justice hero for Teknisk Wereld!"

"You are seriously lame."

"So I've heard, but that doesn't stop me, does it?"

"For someone whose art is geared towards being quiet, you sure are loud."

"I learned all my good qualities from Gen."

"Being loud is not a good quality."

"I never said it was. That came from me naturally."

"Unfortunately."

"But wouldn't I be completely boring to talk to if I wasn't like this?"

"You'd be much more pleasant to talk to."

"Boring too, and I prefer unpleasant to boring."

"Would you two just shut up so we can get a move on?" Amy growled.

"Yes, sorry," Rue and Miles chorused. Then they turned to each other and said, at the same time, "Quit copying me."

"Just be quiet, both of you," Claire sighed.

"We must decide what we are going to do next," Larka said, looking as though she had gotten over the uncomfortable moment.

"I would prefer that you stay right here," they heard someone say.

Looking at where the voice had come from, they saw Aya, her Soul Monster next to her. Taken by surprise, their hands went to their cards instantly.

"Who are you?" Draken demanded, getting in front of Kisara in case this woman attacked without warning.

Hope recognized her instantly though, and stepped forward. "You're…"

"Hope, I assume? It seems you are back on your feet," Aya said.

"You know her?" Perseus asked.

"We met her this morning," Gaston explained. "She said that she kept Dark from getting to us last night. If it hadn't been for her, we would have been murdered in our sleep."

"I'm Aya," she said to the rest of the group. "I am on Sarius' side, so you do not need to worry about being killed at my hands. However, I still expect you to take this duel seriously." She turned to Hope. "I wish to face you, as an evaluation of your strength. Do you accept?"

"Yes," Hope answered without hesitation.

"Are you sure about this? You've barely had any time to recover," Gaston said worriedly.

"I'm fine. You can feel it too, right?" Hope replied.

"…If you are experiencing what I am, then yeah, you should be fine," Gaston agreed. "All right then. I'm ready if you are."

"I expect you all won your duels against the Mavericks," Aya said as she turned on her Duel Disk.

"Each of our groups fought one, I think," Gen said. "We faced one called Wave Trident."

"We were against Bolt Katana," Larka said.

"Gaia Axe was our opponent," Amy put in.

"Gale Katar for us," Rue stated.

"Flame Buster," was all Will had to say.

"Dark Scythe caught up with us but was defeated," Max said. "And I think my father met up with another. He knew her as Tundra."

"Your father? Whoa, wait a minute. I thought he was… dead?" Rue inquired.

"Not anymore, but that can be explained later," Max stated.

"That means you have met and defeated seven out of eight Mavericks," Aya told them. "Tundra Flail was the one you must have been referring to, Max. The last one is a woman called Light Cross. She is the most gentle out of all the Mavericks, although she will kill if Juno orders it. Do not let your guard down with her, even though she most likely means the least trouble for all of you. How many Mavericks died at your hands?"

"Bolt lived, but he left immediately," Zack stated.

"Gaia tried to kill us anyway, but Matt saved us by having Masque kill him first," Sakura said.

"Gale did too, but he won't be attacking us again," Draken assured.

"Fell killed Wave when he tried to slay me from bad temper," Miles said.

"Flame also lived, and did not remain for very long," Claire stated.

"Dark and Tundra both died," Max concluded.

"Interesting results," Aya said. "They will not make much of a difference in the end, but for now, they do help." She turned on her Duel Disk. "But enough on that. Shall we begin?"

"Right." Hope did the same. "My Soul Monster will be Gaston, an Elven Swordsman."

"Sahaqiel, a Shine Angel," Aya introduced.

"Wait! Are you testing Hope like the other guys under Sarius did to us?" Claire asked. "The Child faced me in a duel, but I barely managed to win."

"We faced nobody under Sarius' command," Zack said. "Although we did encounter someone called Lario who seemed to be working for his own goals." He looked away. "I'm afraid I lost rather badly…"

"Don't feel too ashamed about that," Kazel replied. "Kisara and Matt faced two men called Shadow and Mach. They lost as well."

"I didn't win against Adene; that was the person who came against me," Draken grimaced.

"…Sarius came. I won," Fell said shortly.

"Sarius himself? Man, just what is it that he sees in you?" Rue wondered.

"…You are Fell?" Aya asked.

Fell nodded.

"I see." Once more, she turned her attention to Hope. "Enough stalling. Let's start."

Hope: 8000

Aya: 8000

"Do you have a coin to decide who goes first?" Aya asked.

"I have that quarter I mentioned earlier," Miles said with a grin. He brought it out. "Call heads or tails, either of you."

"Tails," Hope decided.

Miles flipped it up in the air and caught it, slapping it on the back of his hand. "Sorry, but it is heads. Aya gets the first turn."

"Fair enough," Aya said. "I lay a monster in defense mode, one card down, and end my turn. Show me just how strong you are."

"Don't expect to be impressed yet," Hope replied. "I'll do the exact same thing by setting one monster down, laying a card face down, and ending my turn."

"Many times, it is vital to wait," Aya stated. "I place another monster on the field, and that is it."

"You're right; I often do stall. Still, this is one opportunity I cannot pass up," Hope said. "I summon Surprising Matasa! (1300/800) Then I equip him with The Fused Sword, Murasame Blade! This raises his attack by 800! (2100/800) After that, I flip summon Mystic Swordsman Lv 2! (900/0) Surprising Matasa attacks the first defense monster you set!"

"It's a Shine Angel. (1400/800) Since he was destroyed in battle, I can special summon a Light Main-Type with 1500 attack or less from my deck," Aya said. "I choose to bring out Mokemoke." (300/100)

"And here we have the new Skull Servant," Rue commented as the cute monster appeared. "Unless it has an effect?"

"It does not have one, which is actually a good thing," Aya informed him before going back to her explanation. "Sahaqiel's Deck Master ability also activates. It's actually very similar to what Shine Angel does in the first place. When one of my monsters with 1500 attack or less is destroyed in battle, I may special summon a Light Main-Type with 1500 attack or less from my deck onto the field in attack mode. I choose Marshmallon." (300/500)

Hope considered the monster before her. "It won't do damage to me since it wasn't played in face down defense mode, but I can't destroy it in battle. I have Mystic Swordsman Lv 2 attacks your Mokemoke!"

"I will not special summon anything," Aya said.

"In that case, Matasa attacks Marshmallon! At least it will do a good amount of damage!"

Hope: 8000

Aya: 5600

"I'll go to the end phase of my turn. That's when my Mystic Swordsman Lv 2's effect activates," Hope explained. "If he destroyed a monster in battle, I can sacrifice him to special summon Mystic Swordsman Lv 4 from my hand or deck! This time, he'll come from the deck. (1900/1600) I'm done."

"You have a good lead, but the key is maintaining it," Aya said. "Let us see if you can stand up to this. First, I flip summon Cannon Soldier. (1400/1300) Next, I play Early Burial. This magic card costs me 800 Life Points, but brings back a monster from my Cemetery to my field in face up attack mode. I choose Mokemoke."

Hope: 8000

Aya: 4800

"Then I activate my trap card, League of the Likened Alliance. I choose a normal monster that is level two or less and special summon as many cards with the same name as possible from my deck to the field. I will get two more Mokemoke."

"We're being overrun by these things," Neo commented.

"But they seem so useless…" Rue said. "If she's going to have some master plan with them, she'd better start it quickly."

"That is what I was planning on," Aya stated. "I now play a magic card, Delta Attack! If I have three normal monsters with the same name, they are allowed to directly attack this turn. Then I play another magic card, Triangle Power! This increases all of my level one or higher monster's stats by 2000." (2300/2100)

"…Well, as sad as it is to say it, this could be bad," Miles said.

"Now my Mokemokes will attack directly!" Aya declared.

"I can stop at least one of them!" Hope said, flipping over her face down card. "I activate Magic Cylinder! It negates your monster's attack and does damage equal to its attack to your Life Points."

"My other two Mokemokes still hit you."

Hope: 3400

Aya: 2500

"Then I activate Cannon Soldier's effect. I can sacrifice a monster to deal 500 damage to you. This works especially well this turn, since my monsters would be destroyed by Triangle Power on my end phase anyway. I sacrifice all three Mokemokes and my own Cannon Soldier."

Hope: 1400

Aya: 2500

"I switch Marshmallon to defense mode and end my turn," Aya said.

"Geez! If Hope hadn't blocked one of those attacks, she'd be dead!" Sakura exclaimed.

"She is still not in a good position," Zack stated. "If Aya has at least one Cannon Soldier, she probably has more. If she could get it onto the field with another monster…"

"Then it's over. That means Hope has to act fast," Darche said.

"Which is nearly impossible, due to Marshmallon's effect. It can't be destroyed in battle; after using it enough, I know that by heart," Claire sighed.

Ruecian shook his head and indicated to Gaston.

"What are you trying to say?" Miles asked.

"Ah, I understand what he means," Gen said. "If this turn works out well for Hope, you will know in a minute."

Hope examined her hand, trying to see a way to get around Marshmallon. She quickly found her solution, and after double-checking her calculations, she placed a card on her Duel Disk. "I can win this turn, but to do that, I need a particular monster. That's why I'll use this magic card, Calling Reinforcements. I search my deck for a level four or lower Warrior Sub-Type and add it to my hand." Hope found what she was looking for and swiftly shuffled her deck. "Now I summon the monster I got, Command Knight! (1200/1900) She raises the attack of all my Warrior Sub-Types by 400!" (2500/800) (2300/1600) (1600/1900)

"If you could attack me directly, that would help you," Aya said. "However, I do not see how it will assist you now."

"That's because attacking directly was my plan!" Hope told her. "I activate Gaston's Deck Master ability! By paying 1000 Life Points, one of my monsters has the ability to attack directly for this turn. Matasa will be the one I choose! He attacks!"

Gaston tossed Matasa his sword. The warrior caught it and leapt right over the Marshmallon, descending towards Aya. His blade connected, cutting through her.

Hope: 400

Aya: 0

"Impressive," Aya said, shutting down her Duel Disk. "It was not wise of me to let my guard down, but you still managed to pull off an excellent victory."

"Thanks," Hope replied, doing the same.

"It's a good thing she won, or I'd never let her forget that she lost to a bunch of square puffballs," Rue grinned.

"You be quiet," Hope growled.

Zack was more concerned with Aya. "Did you only come here to duel against Hope, or is there another reason?"

"Well… yes, I did have another reason," Aya answered. "I was trying to keep you in one location."

"Huh? Why?" Claire asked.

"So that we could catch up," they heard someone reply.

They all turned to see three figures: Shadow, Mach, and Adene.

"Looks like we arrived just in time," Adene said. "No thanks to you, Shadow."

"Shut up. We made it, didn't we?" Shadow retorted.

Mach looked over the group. "Aya, are we to begin? We were instructed to start at your signal."

To be continued…


	19. Rematch of Teams

This chapter and the next one aren't very long, but that can't be helped, seeing as there isn't much to say in either. Still, we get some nice dueling action, so I hope you enjoy them.

Epyon: Darn that Berial! Nevertheless, thank you for your comments.

Captain Obvious: He tried his best though. That makes up for his stupidity, right?

John: A butler? Ok… but nothing can stand against the Holy Hand Grenade. If Dark was still around, we could test that theory out!

**Chapter 19: Rematch of Teams**

"What do you mean, start? And just who the heck are you guys, anyway?" Miles asked.

Aya ignored Miles. "Yes, now is as good a time as we will get," she answered, stepping to the side. The three newcomers went next to her, spread out in a line so that the group could see them all at the same time.

"I am sure a few of you recognize us, at least," Adene said after nobody else spoke, everyone's questions being put aside when they had been observing the trio. "Why don't you go ahead and introduce us to the rest of your friends?"

Draken was the first to follow his advice. "The one who just spoke is Adene. As I said earlier, he works for Sarius, and he beat me in a duel earlier. I don't know the other two though."

"The one with the red hair is Shadow, and the other is Mach," Kisara added, who still seemed tired, but was able to keep up with the conversation. "They also are with Sarius, and they defeated Matt and me."

"So they're pretty good at dueling," Claire assumed.

"Considering they just began playing the game, they are not bad at all," Kazel confirmed.

"The last time we faced you, it was a pretest," Adene said. "Now you are taking the real thing. We will not hesitate to kill the ones that lose."

"You warned me of that before, and I'm betting the others were notified of that too," Draken responded. "However, despite how dangerous it is, we've been in situations that are much more treacherous! I, for one, am completely ready!"

"As am I," Kisara said, rising slowly.

In spite of his bold proclamation, Kisara's words caused him to hesitate. "Are you sure? You still seem to be in bad shape…"

"I will be able to handle this," Kisara stated. Kazel moved to her side, hissing softly.

Adene looked at all of them again. When nobody else stepped forward, he said, "Then we appear to only be missing one…"

"Don't worry, I'm ready too," Matt said, emerging from the forest.

"Matt! When did you get here?" Sakura exclaimed while everyone else watched, a bit surprised by the sudden appearance.

"Just now," Matt answered. "I wanted to give Brandi and Randall some time alone, so I came here to make sure everyone was all right."

"Randall?" Amy asked.

"Ah, right, you wouldn't know," Matt realized. "Randall is Max, Brandi, and Chasity's father."

"I still don't get this!" Rue said in frustration. "Wasn't Randall dead?"

"We can cover details later; these guys aren't just going to wait around all day for us," Matt stated, bringing out Masque.

"It looks as though we will be dueling first," Mach said, summoning Elric as Shadow did the same with Ishbal.

"The order doesn't matter to me," Adene shrugged. "Go ahead."

"This ought to be interesting to watch," Perseus commented as they moved back to give the players room.

"To say the least," Amy agreed. "I have seen very few tag team duels, so I'm looking forward to witnessing this one."

Kisara: 8000

Matt: 8000

Shadow: 8000

Mach: 8000

"Want to base who gets to choose the turn order on a coin toss again?" Miles asked.

"That would probably be best," Mach said. "Would one of you like to call it?"

Kisara nodded. "Tails."

Miles flipped the coin, and after slapping it against the back of his hand, announced, "It's tails. Kisara and Matt get to decide."

"I actually have the perfect order in mind, if it's ok with you," Matt said.

"What do you wish to do?" Kisara asked.

"Let Shadow go first, then yourself, then Mach, and have me be last," Matt told her. "This should make things work out the way I want them to."

"All right, I will agree to that," Kisara said, since she had not had a particular order in mind herself.

Shadow eyed them doubtfully. "If that's what you want, we'll go with it. I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

Kazel snaked her long neck around Kisara's back so she could see her hand. "It seems that we are off to a good start."

"Yes," Kisara agreed. "I begin by summoning Lord of Dragons-Dragon Ruler. (1200/1100) Then I play Dragon Calling Horn, which only works when a Lord of Dragons is on the field. I am allowed to special summon up to two Dragon Sub-Types from my hand to the field. I choose Sapphire Dragon (1900/1600) and Red Eyes Black Dragon." (2400/2000)

"That was quick," Neo commented as the dragons emerged with roars.

"Kisara's deck is geared to getting out her Red Eyes quickly," Draken said. "To manage to summon one on her first turn is pretty average."

"So you already got out your strongest monster," Mach noted.

"Yes. Since I cannot attack this turn, I may as well have Kazel use her Deck Master ability so that the Red Eyes Black Dragon can destroy Shadow's defense monster," Kisara decided. Kazel obediently let her aura flow into the Red Eyes on the field. It flew up with a roar, spitting a fireball at the defense monster, incinerating it.

"That would be my Cave Dragon," (1300/2000) Shadow said.

"I end my turn," Kisara concluded.

"Let us see if I can even up the playing field a bit," Mach said. "I summon Iron Knight: Gear Freed. (1800/1600) Then I equip him with Thieving Smoke Bomb. His effect causes him to destroy it immediately though. That means its effect goes off."

The Gear Freed threw the grenade at the ground, causing an explosion of smoke to engulf the field. Kisara froze, unable to see anything, when she suddenly heard Mach's voice right in front of her. "When it is destroyed by a card's effect, I am allowed to look at your hand and choose a card to discard. Kisara, hold out your hand for me to see."

Kisara did so, letting him see her Doublecoston and Early Burial.

"Discard Early Burial," Mach commanded.

When she did so, the smoke cleared, revealing the field. Acting as though nothing had happened, Mach said, "I activate Remove Restraints and sacrifice Gear Freed to special summon Swordmaster-Naked Gear Freed from my deck!" (2600/2200)

"So that is the purpose of Gear Freed," Claire realized, staring at the new monster. "I had no idea it could become such a strong monster."

"That would be Mach's main monster," Kazel informed the spectators. "I believe you will be able to see what he does shortly."

"I equip Gear Freed with Demon Axe to raise his attack by 1000," Mach said. (3600/2200) "This also activates his effect. He automatically destroys a monster on the field when he is equipped with a card. I'll have him destroy the Red Eyes!"

"Yikes! That's one nasty effect," Rue winced as the Gear Freed sliced apart the Red Eyes.

"If you think that is bad, just wait until you see what Shadow can do," Kazel said dryly.

"Now I will activate Elric's Deck Master ability," Mach announced. "By removing an equip card, I can destroy a monster on the field. I'll remove Demon Axe to destroy Sapphire Dragon." (2600/2200)

The Gear Freed drew his arm back, and then threw the Demon Axe at his foe. It connected with the Sapphire Dragon's head, cleaving it in half.

"That is it," Mach said.

"And you say Shadow is worse?" Miles asked in amazement.

"Depending on the situation, yes, he can be," Kazel answered.

Matt did not seem worried in the slightest as he glanced over his cards. "I play Devil's Sanctuary. This magic card generates a Metal Devil Token for my use. I'll place it in attack mode." (0/0)

"What does that token do?" Mach inquired, looking at it curiously.

"Nothing of importance," Matt shrugged. Then he looked at his hand again, and with a smirk, said, "I also lay one card face down. That's it."

"You have something planned," Shadow accused as he drew.

"Maybe," Matt responded shortly.

"Let us see just what you were hoping to lure me into," Shadow said. "I activate Cyclone, destroying your magic or trap card!"

"Damn!" Matt growled. "My Magic Cylinder…"

Shadow shook his head. "That was all you had to protect yourself? Pathetic! Prepare to suffer the consequences of such feeble strategies! I summon Black Flare Dragon of Horus Lv 4!" (1600/1000)

"A level monster!" Hope exclaimed. "Then that means…"

"Yes, I can bring out even stronger versions of him," Shadow confirmed. "And I have just the method to do it. I activate a magic card, Level Up!"

"Level Up?" Amy echoed. "I haven't heard of that card."

"It allows me to sacrifice a Level monster to special summon its next Level from my hand or deck." Shadow pulled a card out of his deck and shuffled it before putting it back in his Duel Disk. "So I can now special summon Black Flare Dragon of Horus Lv 6!" (2300/1600)

"It looks like Matt's in a bad position," Perseus commented.

"I wouldn't lose faith in him just yet," Max said, his eyes locked on the duel. "Just watch."

"Horus attacks!" Shadow declared.

The silver dragon shot out a blast of dark energy, which went straight at the Metal Devil Token. But when it connected, it bounced right off it. The attack went flying back, narrowly avoiding Horus but hitting Shadow.

"What the hell?" Shadow managed to say as the Metal Devil Token vanished from the field.

Matt scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Oh, sorry about that. I guess I forgot to tell you that he could do that. Any battle damage you would normally do to me is instead inflicted to you. It was poor of me not to mention that. Still, since you did not fully tell me about your Soul Monster last time, it can be forgiven, right?"

Kisara: 8000

Matt: 8000

Shadow: 5700

Mach: 8000

"Cheap bastard," Shadow growled.

"I'm only repaying what was due," Matt replied. "Oh, and Masque's Deck Master ability activates. Since you destroyed my Metal Devil Token with a monster than was higher leveled than it, your monster is destroyed."

Ishbal brought up a barrier instantly, causing Masque's mask to crumble away as it connected.

"And again, Ishbal stops it with his own Deck Master ability," Shadow reminded him. "The only way you can destroy Horus is through battle."

"I know, but I did want you to explain it for our audience," Matt said. "Are you done?"

"Yes. I go to the end phase, and Horus' effect activates. Since he destroyed a monster in battle, I can sacrifice him to special summon Black Flare Dragon of Horus Lv 8 from my deck!" (3000/1800)

"Now I see why Kazel was concerned," Gen stated as Horus descended onto the field.

As Kisara drew, Shadow said, "I hope you remember Horus' effect. Any magic cards that you play I can choose to negate and destroy."

"What? That's beyond cheap!" Rue exclaimed.

"I'm more concerned about the fact that they have to destroy Horus through battle," Draken said. "Kisara, for one, doesn't have anything strong enough to do that."

"Matt does," Larka assured. "Let's just hope he manages to summon it."

Kisara thought for a moment before saying, "I lay one monster in defense mode and a card face down. That is all."

"I play Warrior's Return so that I can take a Warrior Sub-Type from my Cemetery and add it to my hand," Mach said. "I choose Iron Knight: Gear Freed and summon him. Then I equip him with The Fused Sword, Murasame Blade. It cannot be destroyed by effects that would destroy magic cards, so Gear Freed can safely hold onto it. Gear Freed's attack is raised by 800 thanks to it. (2600/1600) Then I will attack your defense monster with Iron Knight: Gear Freed!"

"My Doublecoston…" (1700/1650)

"Naked Gear Freed will attack directly! I end my turn after that."

Kisara: 5400

Matt: 8000

Shadow: 5700

Mach: 8000

"Now it's time to get my strategy going," Matt grinned. "I summon Troop Commander! (1200/400) When summoned, his effect lets me special summon a level four or lower monster as well. I'll bring out Melkid Four-Faced Beast! (1500/1200) Then I sacrifice both of them to special summon Masked Beast Death Guardius!" (3300/2500)

"Troop Commander? Just what kind of changes has Matt's deck gone through?" Sakura wondered as the huge Death Guardius appeared.

"I changed it quite a bit for this rematch," Matt explained. "I was waiting for Horus to show up, so I set a trap for it. It looks like it fell completely into it. Death Guardius destroys Horus!"

Horus attempted to charge up a beam of dark energy, but before it could, the Death Guardius tore it apart.

Kisara: 5400

Matt: 8000

Shadow: 5400

Mach: 8000

"I lay two cards face down and end my turn," Matt finished.

"You think you have won already? I still have many strategies to bring out!" Shadow said. "I activate a magic card, Level Adjustment! My opponents get to draw two cards, so do that first." Once they had done so, he continued. "However, I get to special summon a Level monster from my Cemetery." The Horus Lv 8 appeared at once. "Unfortunately, he cannot attack, nor can he activate and use his effects this turn."

"Then that was a poor decision on your part," Matt stated. He looked over at Kisara. "This is going to be a heavy blow for you. Do you mind if I go ahead?"

Kisara looked at her hand, and then nodded. "It is fine. I will be able to defend myself."

"Good. Then I can activate my trap card, Destruction Ring!" Matt declared.

"Fool! You cannot destroy Horus. Ishbal still prevents traps from killing him!" Shadow reminded Matt.

"Who said I was going to destroy Horus?" Matt said as a ring of grenades surrounded his own Death Guardius.

"What?" was all Shadow was able to say before the grenades exploded, the energy blast catching all four players.

Kisara: 2100

Matt: 4700

Shadow: 2100

Mach: 4700

After a few moments, they were all able to rise. Before anyone could question Matt's actions, he said, "When Death Guardius is destroyed, his effect activates. I take an equip card called Bequeathed Mask and attach it to Horus!"

The mask flew onto Horus. The dragon shook its head furiously, trying to dislodge it. Then its head drooped over and it slowly walked over to Matt's field.

"What is going on?" Shadow demanded.

"Bequeathed Mask lets me control the monster it was attached to," Matt explained. "Since you couldn't negate and destroy magic cards with Horus this turn, it was easy to be able to take him under my control!"

"Damn it…" Shadow snarled. "I can't do anything else."

"Wow! Matt did excellently with bluffing!" Hope commented.

"That's why Brandi and I always lost to him when we were younger," Max said. "Even at times when he had the poorest cards to work with, he could play us like flutes."

Kisara considered her options, and then said, "I lay one card face down and end my turn."

"I would not call this a good situation," Mach stated. "Still, I have a method of taking down Horus. Elric's effect will be able to take care of him…"

"But I will not give you the chance to activate it," Kisara told him. "I activate my trap card, Cry of the Living Dead. This lets me special summon a monster from my Cemetery in face up attack mode. I will bring out Red Eyes Black Dragon. Then I use my second trap, Burst Breath!"

"What does that do?" Mach inquired.

"I choose a Dragon Sub-Type on my field and sacrifice it. Then all monsters on the field with a defense strength lower than that monster's attack are destroyed," Kisara explained.

The Red Eyes took off, and then sped towards the ground at an amazing speed, shooting a fireball just before it hit. The explosion hit both Gear Freed and Horus, tearing them apart.

"I apologize," Kisara said to Matt.

"It's fine. We can finish this up easily enough without Horus," Matt assured. "Are you done, Mach?"

"Yes. Go ahead," Mach said.

"I'll be leaving Mach to you," Matt directed to Kisara.

Kisara nodded. "Right."

"I activate my trap card, Avatar of Apophis!" Matt said, flipping it over. "When I do so, it becomes a monster. (1600/1800) Then I summon Killer Tomato!" (1400/1100)

"…You must be joking," Shadow said in disbelief.

"Afraid not," Matt smirked. "After completely humiliating us last time, I only find it fair to do the same to you. Apophis attacks, and then Killer Tomato finishes you off!"

Kisara: 2100

Matt: 4700

Shadow: 0

Mach: 4700

"Insert the Price Is Right failure music here," Rue said in the dead silence after Shadow's Life Point counter had dropped to zero.

"…I do not know what that means, and I do not want to know," Shadow spat, looking disgusted.

"Are you done?" Mach asked, not seeming worried about his partner dropping out.

"Yep. It's all up to you, Kisara," Matt said.

Kisara responded by placing a card on her Duel Disk. "I summon Dark Dragon Hatchling." (800/500)

"How exactly will this assist you?" Mach questioned as an egg appeared on the field. The tiny black dragon poked its head out of a crack and squeaked at Mach.

"He is in my deck for his effect. I sacrifice him to special summon a Red Eyes Black Dragon from my hand," Kisara said. "Then I move Kazel to the playing field. My Red Eyes attacks, and Kazel concludes this duel."

The generic Red Eyes let out its blast first, and Kazel finished off Mach's remaining Life Points with an even more impressive explosion.

Kisara: 2100

Matt: 4700

Shadow: 0

Mach: 0

"Very good," Mach smiled. "Both of you have improved quite a lot."

"Thank you," Kisara replied.

"Even Shadow would acknowledge that," Mach said. "Right Shadow?"

"Screw you," Shadow growled, glaring at a particularly fluffy cloud.

Mach laughed at his response. "That is his way of saying yes."

"So, we're done," Matt said as he dismissed Masque. "If that's all I have to do, I'm going to go and check back with Brandi. Is that all right?"

"Go ahead," Max replied. "We might not return for some time. Please tell them that."

"Sure. See you guys later," Matt said, bringing up his menu and then vanishing.

To be continued…


	20. Rematch of Force

As I said before, this chapter is also short. The next chapter should make up for it though, so no worries.

Epyon: Yes, my master.

John: Ok… Well, that was their second duel. For so little time to practice, they did very well.

Captain Obvious: But I was talking about Rue. Wait. Now I'm confused... Anyway, Rue has practically memorized the movie, but that doesn't mean he would recite all of it.

Demon Fan: Whoa. You reviewed right when I posted this chapter the first time. I believe Max is done dueling for this arc, look forward to the next one though!

**Chapter 20: Rematch of Force**

After Matt was gone, Adene said, "It seems that I'm the only one left."

"Then there's no need to waste time talking," Draken stated, turning on his Duel Disk. "Let's get started."  
Adene brought out Bowen and then did the same. "Yes, let us. Show me if you have improved; only by doing that will you be able to stay alive."

"A Buster Blader!" Hope exclaimed. "If his ability is like the normal effect…"

"Bowen's effect-that's his name-is not as geared towards Dragons as you might think," Darche said. "You'll see soon enough."

As they finished preparing, Rue called over, "Hey, Draken! Don't be an idiot by summoning Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"

"Do me a favor and go jump off a cliff," Draken growled.

"Fine, be that way. I was only trying to offer a bit of friendly advice…" Rue muttered while everyone ignored him, focusing on the duel that was beginning instead.

Draken: 8000

Adene: 8000

"I would prefer to choose who goes first over a coin toss as well," Adene said.

"That's fine. You still got that quarter?" Draken asked Miles.

"Sure. Draken, call it," Miles said as he flipped the coin.

"Heads?" Draken guessed.

Miles looked at the coin. "…Nope, tails. Adene begins."

"It works for me," Adene said as he drew. "Even though I will not be in battle this turn, I'll call Dragon. I suppose I should explain what that means for the audience. Bowen's Deck Master ability lets me call a Sub-Type. If I battle that Sub-Type that turn, it will be destroyed, even if my attack is too low."

"Talk about cheap!" Neo exclaimed.

"It isn't really as helpful as you might think," Gen disagreed. "Most decks use a variety of Sub-Types, so he could not choose the correct one ahead of time. Draken himself uses a few different Sub-Types; even though he has mostly Dragons, his goal is to get a Blue Eyes White Dragon out. However, even if his deck had nothing but Dragons, Bowen's effect only helps Adene during his turn. There are many ways he could get around it."

"That's all true. Nevertheless, Draken had better be careful," Amy stated.

"I lay one monster in defense mode and two cards face down," Adene said. "That's all."

Draken looked at his cards and shook his head. "Wow. This really isn't a hand I can make much use of yet. But if I draw the right cards… anyway, I summon Kaiser Seahorse. (1700/1650) He attacks your defense monster."

Adene smirked slightly. "It was my Army Dragon. (700/800) I get another to put into defense mode."

"Not them again!" Draken complained. "Stupid things keep special summoning their little friends… I'll take the other two down next turn. Until then, I'm done."

Adene glanced at his hand. "I pass."

"…What?" Draken said.

"I said I pass. Go ahead," Adene prompted.

"…All right, it's your funeral," Draken shrugged, drawing. "Ah, this is perfect for your annoying Army Dragons. I summon Spear Dragon! (1900/0) Kaiser Seahorse attacks your second Army Dragon."

"I get a third."

"Then I attack it with Spear Dragon! But what's nice about it is that Spear Dragon does damage to you, even when your monster is in defense mode," Draken explained. "He has to go into defense mode himself after an attack, but it's worth it."

"Even so, I will not stop your attack," Adene stated.

Draken: 8000

Adene: 6900

"Whatever you want then. I'm done," Draken said.

This time, as Adene drew, he said, "I call Undead."

"Undead? Have you completely forgotten what my deck is based on? I don't use any Undead cards!" Draken pointed out.

"That is true. But there are ways to change Sub-Types," Adene told him. "I activate my trap card, DNA Operation! I choose a Sub-Type and all face-up monsters on both sides of the field will be that Sub-Type. To make sure you don't benefit from it, I call Undead."

"Well, that alone pretty much kills me," Draken said flatly as his monster's bodies suddenly seemed to be rotting, their skin drawing in as though to expose their bones.

Rue did not seem too impressed. "What's so bad about that? Draken still has the same monsters he needs to work with. Bowen's effect will be more useful now, sure, but Draken's acting as though it's worse than that."

"Did you see all of the cards Kisara played?" Kazel asked. "Many of them did not require a Red Eyes Black Dragon, but a Dragon Sub-Type in general. Draken's deck is similar."

Claire's eyes widened. "So you're saying…"

"Many of his best cards have just been made useless, since he needs to have a Dragon Sub-Type on the field to activate them," Kazel stated. "Some examples would be Stomping Crash, Immense Dragon Wing Burst, Dragon Rage, Burst Breath, and Lord of Dragons, although Dragon Calling Horn would still work."

"Then he is in a really bad position," Larka said worriedly.

Kazel nodded. "Yes, he is."

"I still don't think it's that big of a deal," Rue shrugged. "Draken based his deck around one key monster, the Blue Eyes White Dragon. He's got some cards that are only for the Blue Eyes. Unless Adene has something that can change card names, Draken should be fine."

"I'm surprised that you're defending his dueling ability," Claire commented.

Rue rolled his eyes. "That would be because his attitude stops me from doing it too often."

Ignoring the side conversation, Adene continued his turn. "I also activate my other trap card, Holy Radiance. This forces us to play all monsters face up, even ones in defense mode."

"That means we have no way of getting around DNA Operation," Darche realized.

"Playing monsters face down wouldn't have helped for long anyway," Draken said.

"Now I summon Exclusivity Virus! (1600/1000) His effect lets me discard a card from my hand to call a Sub-Type. All monsters on the field with that Sub-Type are then destroyed. I discard Mysterious Chinese Nabe to call Undead. This destroys your two monsters, and my own Virus. I end my turn," Adene said.

"Well, they say the best defense is offense! If I can't play in defense mode, I guess I'll take this opportunity to do some damage!" Draken declared. "I summon Sapphire Dragon (1900/1600) and attack directly! That's all."

Draken: 8000

Adene: 5000

"Haven't you ever heard of magic or trap cards?" Rue said sarcastically.

"They all require having a Dragon on the field, idiot," Draken informed him.

"All of them? Your luck is horrible in anything except Go Fish," Rue stated.

"Why don't you tell someone who cares?" Draken retorted as he turned back to Adene.

"See what I mean?" Rue asked Claire. She did not bother responding.

"I will pass again," Adene said.

"You are seriously lucky that I can't get a Blue Eyes out yet," Draken told him. "I summon Dol Dora (1500/1200) and attack directly! Unfortunately, I can't do anything else…"

Draken: 8000

Adene: 1600

"You managed to acquire a solid lead," Adene said. "But now I am finally ready to even up the score. I call Undead, as you probably already assumed. The first card I will play is Foolish Burial. This magic card lets me search my deck for a monster and put it into the Cemetery. I choose to put Chaos Soldier in there. Next, I play Rebirth of the Dead. By discarding a spare DNA Operation from my hand, I can put a monster card from my Cemetery into my hand. I choose to take Chaos Soldier. Then I play Fusion! By fusing together The Marsh Guardian King and Chaos Soldier, I form Master of Dragon Knight!" (5000/5000)

As everyone stared at the new monster in awe, only Miles could find any words to speak. "That explains how Draken lost."

"Hold on a minute. I thought you needed a Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon to bring that out!" Draken protested.

"Usually, I do. But The Marsh Guardian King can act as a fusion substitute, so he replaced the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon," Adene explained. "Now I attack your Sapphire Dragon with Master of Dragon Knight!"

Draken: 4900

Adene: 1600

"Why not Dol Dora? It would have done more damage, right?" Mach inquired.

"Yes, it would have, but Dol Dora can be special summoned from the Cemetery with weaker stats after it's been destroyed once," Adene informed him. "I wanted to get a monster out of the way for good. I can deal with Dol Dora later. I am done with my turn."

"I switch Dol Dora to defense mode and play Lord of Dragons (1200/1100) in defense as well," Draken said. "That's all for me."

"Master of Dragon Knight destroys Lord of Dragons," Adene stated. "I have nothing else to do."

Draken sighed in relief as he saw what he drew. "Finally, I can actually play something besides a monster! I place a Sapphire Dragon in defense mode and lay a card face down."

"Once again, I will have Master of Dragon Knight destroy your Sapphire Dragon and end my turn," Adene said.

"…Now I'm the one who has to pass," Draken sighed, looking at his hand.

"Unless you can stop me with your face down card, this is the end for you," Adene told him. "I summon Manju God! (1400/1000) His effect lets me get a ritual or a ritual monster from my deck and add it to my hand, so I'll choose Chaos Soldier. Then I equip my Master of Dragon Knight with Bow of Falling Stars-Shiiru! This lowers his attack by 1000, but it allows me to also attack directly." (4000/5000)

"Then you haven't won yet. I'll still have 900 Life Points," Draken pointed out.

"That is why I will use this magic card, Inherited Strength! I sacrifice a monster and add its attack to another one of my monsters for the rest of my turn. I will offer Manju God to increase my Master of Dragon Knight's attack by 1400! (5400/5000) He attacks directly!"

The Chaos Soldier riding on the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon brought up the bow, shooting an arrow straight at Draken. But just before it connected, a barrier sprang up, knocking it aside.

"Luckily for me, I had an Attack Nullification," Draken said.

"That is indeed fortunate for you. I end my turn," Adene stated. (4000/5000)

"Still, if I can't finish this quickly, it's going to be over for me…" Draken muttered. "I need to get a certain card, and fast." He drew, and grinned. "What do you know? I ask and my deck delivers. It's time to end this duel."

"You think you can defeat my Master of Dragon Knight?" Adene asked.

"Not in a direct fight," Draken said. "But I have other ways. I'll start by summong Ally of Justice Kaibaman!" (200/700)

"What are you hoping that will do for you?" Adene inquired.

"Kaibaman is to Blue Eyes White Dragon as Dark Dragon Hatchling is to Red Eyes Black Dragon," Draken explained. "I sacrifice Kaibaman to special summon a Blue Eyes White Dragon from my hand!" (3000/2500)

"Although it is a strong monster, it cannot destroy my Master of Dragon Knight," Adene said.

"This magic card proves you wrong!" Draken told him as he placed it in his Duel Disk. "It's called Burst Stream of Destruction! I can only activate it when I have a Blue Eyes White Dragon on the field, but when it is used, it destroys all of your monsters!"

"Then you were right. It is over for me…" Adene stated as the Blue Eyes shot out a stream of white lightning, obliterating the Master of Dragon Knight.

"My Blue Eyes can't attack the same turn I do this, but I have another option. I'll bring out Darche and have him attack for the win!"

Adene just stood there calmly as Darche ran up to him, slashing at him with his sword.

Draken: 4900

Adene: 0

"Excellent. You have also grown stronger. I am satisfied, as I am sure Master Tirran will be," Adene said, shutting down his Duel Disk. Bowen vanished a moment later.

"All of you did well," Aya directed to the whole group. "I can see why Lord Tirran takes great interest in your group. But that does not change the fact that he needs the Limiter's power."

Larka looked away nervously as all four of their opponents turned their gaze towards her.

"You will have to face him. You cannot rely on your friends to fight that battle for you," Aya said to her.

Larka nodded. "Yes… I know. I will be ready when the time comes."

"Good." Aya paused, and then said, "You know of the Sky Temple, correct?"

"Yes," Hope answered.

"Be there at six in the morning tomorrow," Aya instructed. "That is when Lord Tirran wishes to settle this."

"Six? Isn't that when normal people sleep?" Rue said in disbelief.

"We aren't normal," Miles reminded him. "Sarius isn't either."

"We've got it," Amy assured her.

"Then I bid you good luck and farewell," Aya concluded, turning and walking away.

"As do I," Adene said before following her.

"I'm sure we'll see each other soon enough. So until then!" Mach added as he left too.

"All I have to say is that I hope I never have to visit this ridiculous world again," Shadow snarled.

"You know that isn't very nice," Mach said as he came over to Shadow and grabbed his arm, dragging him off.

"Quit it! I can walk by myself!"

"But never in the direction you're supposed to," was all they heard Mach say before they were too far off into the distance.

…

Light stopped in an alley, considering where she should go next in the town. It was impossible for her to know if the Limiter was even in this area, but there was nothing she could do besides look in every area at every person that she could find. It was a tedious job, but one she did not mind.

She heard someone approaching, and turned. When she saw who it was, she smiled at him. "Hello Lord Juno. Why are you here?"

"I came to see if you had many any progress," Juno replied, halting in front of her.

"Didn't Tundra deliver my message?" Light asked worriedly.

"Tundra cannot do anything anymore, since she died," Juno said dryly.

Light stared at him in disbelief. "She died?"

"As did Gaia, Wave, and Dark."

"That many? It's hard to believe…" Light murmured.

"Yes, it is. Bolt, Flame, and Gale lost but are not dead. I will be dealing with the Limiter myself," Juno stated. "Enough on that though. How are you faring?"

"I have found nothing yet," Light said apologetically.

"That is fine. Just keep looking, and be aware that I will come again later," Juno told her.

"All right. I will see you then," Light said as he left the alley.

To be continued…


	21. Rematch of Heart

School starts again for me tomorrow. That is really not something I'm happy about, but there's nothing I can do about it of course. I am hoping that homework won't take up too much of my time overall, because I really want to continue updating this frequently.

This chapter was fun for me to write. I like how it turned out. Hope you guys enjoy it too.

Kinsei: Thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying it. Sun of God will be coming up quite soon, actually, so you don't need to worry about that! Glad you liked the Monty Python reference too.

Demon Fan: You'll have to wait to find out.

John: Well, they served their purpose.

Captain Obvious: Isn't it doppelganger, or are you talking about something else? Draken did have horrible luck the first time around and he had no idea his Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon could be used in such a fashion, so yeah, he was more than prepared the next time.

**Chapter 21: Rematch of Heart**

"Whew. I'm glad that's over with," Draken sighed.

"I bet you are. He had you really scared, didn't he?" Rue teased.

"Oh shut up. I was just uneasy, that's all!" Draken retorted.

"But you all made it," Sakura said happily. "So once Larka puts Sarius in his place, we're done! Right?"

"You forgot about Juno," Gaston reminded her. "We won't be home free until he's taken care of."

"Ack," Sakura winced. "You're right, he slipped my mind."

"Is he really that bad?" Miles asked.

"He was very creepy, to say at the least," Claire shuddered. "I for one don't want to have to cross him again unless I have to."

"Juno certainly does not bring pleasant memories to mind," Will stated. "I too would prefer to avoid him, but it seems that will not be an option."

"…I'm sorry to get you all involved in this," Larka said, her expression full of guilt.

"This is not your fault," Zack said firmly. "You did not ask to be born with this power, nor did you want to fight over it. Nobody could be expected to handle themselves against all of these enemies by themselves."

Rue nodded. "Zack's right. After we learned what was happening, we chose to help on our own free will. Even if you had wanted to do it on your own, you couldn't have stopped us from helping you."

"We're in this together," Hope told her. "If any of us got into trouble, you would help us. We're simply doing the same thing for you."

Larka finally managed to smile. "Thank you, everyone. It's a great help to know I have that kind of support."

"Anytime," Hope said.

"So… what are we going to do now?" Neo asked. "Are we going back to the real world until tomorrow morning?"

"I do not think that would be a good idea," Darche replied. "For such an early time in the morning, it would be very easy to oversleep."

"No kidding," Rue winced. "Six? If we didn't doubt Sarius' sanity before, we have a good reason to now."

"Then perhaps we should stay in the Sky Temple," Will said. "Zack can set himself to wake up at a certain time, right? If we were already there and all in the same area, he could make sure we're awake at the proper time. Would that work, Zack?"

"That would be fine," Zack answered.

"How about we go back to the real world to prepare and then meet at the lake shore tonight at nine?" Draken suggested. "Er, nine would be our time. Fell and Larka would have to come at eight."

"Good idea," Amy said. "I do have a few things I'd like to take care of before this happens."

"I think we all do," Claire agreed.

"All right, we will be back here at the designated time. See you then," Amy said before vanishing, Sakura following her shortly.

"Don't worry, it will all work out," Hope told Larka. "We'll be back soon."

"Right," Max said, recalling Tenma before he left. Hope and Gaston were gone a few seconds later.

"So until later," was all Rue said before he had vanished along with Ruecian. Miles, Gen, Draken, Darche, Will, and Neo followed. Kisara recalled Kazel to her Soul Card and then left too.

Zack remained a moment longer. "It will be fine. As long as you have confidence in yourself, you will be able to win."

"Thanks," Larka said with a another smile. "With all the support I have, how could I think anything else?"

Although Zack was concerned that she might still be holding onto doubts, it actually did seem that she was feeling better now. The only thing Zack could think of as a response was to smile himself and say, "Very true. See you both later."

Fell merely nodded, looking distracted, while Larka said, "Bye."

When he was gone, she turned to Fell. "So, shall we get back?"

"…Yes," Fell said, coming out of his thoughts.

Then they vanished, along with Malon and Daine, leaving nothing but the crater made from the Holy Hand Grenade to show they had been there.

…

Amy sat up slowly, removing her Envoyant Machine. She was almost instantly mauled by her playful greyhound, Toby, who ran up and eagerly licked her face several times.

"Yes, yes, I'm happy to see you too," Amy laughed, pushing the large dog off her so she could get up. Then she went to the kitchen, Sakura following.

"If Toby was that excited to see you, I assume nobody else is home," Sakura said.

"Most likely," Amy agreed, finding a note on the table. She read over it quickly. "Yeah, mom and dad are at work while Sam's at his friend's."

Sam was Amy's younger brother, who was born from her stepdad and her mother. She had gotten used to calling her stepdad 'Dad', although he was not her true father.

"So we have the house all to ourselves," Sakura said cheerfully, sitting down at the table.

"Except for Toby, yeah," Amy confirmed, opening some cabinets. "My first priority is eating something. We can decide what to do when I'm done with that."

"Ok," Sakura replied, petting Toby as he came over and nudged her in the side for attention.

…

"So you two are finally back," Ms. Gales said as Fell and Larka came into the kitchen, Malon and Daine trailing behind them. "How long will you be staying here?"

"Until eight," Larka answered as she and Fell took seats at the table.

"That means I can make both lunch and dinner for you." She went to the refrigerator and began moving aside some containers while searching for some leftover chicken she had in mind. "How is Hope doing?"

"She's fine," Larka said, which was actually true. Hope had looked like she was still feeling all right when she left.

"I'm glad to hear that." Ms. Gales finally pulled out the food that she had been looking for. "What about your friends?"

"They're well," Larka assured.

"That's good," was all Ms. Gales said before she turned on the microwave.

While they were eating, Ms. Gales commented, "You're being unusually quiet, Larka."

"Huh?" Larka looked up from her meal to see Ms. Gales. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"Usually, you talk a lot, even when just eating," Ms. Gales said. "Now you're not saying anything."

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about some things," Larka replied, blushing slightly.

"There's nothing wrong with it, I just found it an unusual change," Ms. Gales explained before she left the room.

"That was an odd thing for her to say…" Larka commented as she picked up her plate to take to the counter. Noticing Fell was also done with his, she took his too. After depositing them next to the dishwasher, for Ms. Gales to deal with, she went upstairs.

"She is not the only one who has been acting strangely," Daine said. "Master, you seem to be thinking about many things yourself."

"…You could say that," Fell replied.

"Is there any way I can help?" Daine asked.

Fell thought for a moment, and then shook his head. "…No. This is something I must do myself. Sorry."

"If you ever need my assistance, you only need to ask," Daine said, leaving to see what Larka was doing.  
Fell looked at his clawed hands and sighed. He knew there was only one solution to this problem, and although he disliked it, he was aware that he had no other choice. Feeling a depression he did not often experience, he went to find Larka as well.

…

"Well, well, look what the cat dragged in!" was the first thing Max heard when they returned to the real world.

"Was that supposed to be an insult?" Ga growled at Ba.

"Could you two wait until we get up before you start fighting each other again?" Max requested.

"That would probably be the polite thing to do," Ba agreed.

"We will at least hold off until none of you are within scratching or biting range," Ga assured.

"Um… I don't think we were about to start fighting," Gaston said in a confused tone, looking over at Hope, who also seemed mystified.

"Thanks," Max directed at Gaba before he said, "I was talking to dad's Soul Monster. The one you two still can't see or hear for some reason."

"What monster is it?" Hope asked.

"A Winged Phantom Chimera Beast," Max replied. "His name is Gaba, and he has split personality problems."

"That's… great," Gaston said without any enthusiasm.

"I know, isn't it?" Ga responded.

"He can't hear us, idiot," Ba reminded him.

"Who said I was talking to him? For all you know, I might have been directing that at you, or myself."

"I AM you."

"…Unfortunately, that's true."

"Unfortunately? I'm your only saving grace!"

"Why do you think people think we're weird? Because of you, obviously!"

"Do I look anything like a wildcat? No. Yet all the children that you send packing are screaming about a vicious kitty being after them."

"We both look practically the same! Except that I'm handsome while you're ugly."

"You've never looked in a mirror, or so it seems."

"At least I know how to use one, unlike you. You're so stupid that you tried to find the on button for the first mirror you were attempting to use!"

"LIES! ALL LIES!"

"No, you just can't HANDLE the truth!"

"YOUR FACE can't handle the truth!"

"Oh, THAT was crossing the line! YOU WANNA FIGHT?"

"JUST TRY IT, PUNK!"

Max immediately dragged Hope and Gaston away from the center of the room as Gaba began thrashing, the two heads trying to brutally kill each other.

"Don't even ask," he said when they gave him questioning looks.

Luckily for him, Abby chose this moment to enter the room. Seizing the opportunity of a distraction, Max said, "How's Chasity doing?"

"She's asleep right now," Abby replied. After glancing at Gaba, she said, "How about we move into the kitchen?"

"Good idea," Max agreed, steering Hope and Gaston in that direction before they could ask.

They found Hime in there, cooking. She put that on a brief hold though to talk with them for a few minutes.

"Hope! You look as though you've completely recovered!" Hime said in shock.

"I feel as though I have," Hope smiled. "I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but I guess being in Teknisk Wereld helped."

Gaston and Max could tell that she did not want to try and describe what had happened with Kisara until they knew what exactly had occurred. Max changed the subject by saying, "What are Brandi, Matt, and Dad doing?"

"They're catching him up on what he's missed," Abby explained. "He has been gone for quite some time."

Max nodded. "Yeah, you're right."

"We will be staying here until nine, and then we have to go back to Teknisk Wereld," Hope said. "Hopefully, we can settle things there this time."

"The only thing I can do is wish all of you good luck," Abby said regretfully. "Stay safe."

"We'll try to, but that isn't always something we can accomplish," Gaston joked.

"I suppose that's true," Hime sighed, getting up to check on the food again.

…

"No, I tell you, Roy's the better of the two!" Rue argued. "He can instantly kill the opponent with Flare Blade!"

"After charging up for seven seconds. That's like Goku taking three episodes to charge up for one shot at one opponent, except your opponent will actually fight back in this case!" Draken pointed out. "At least Marth's Shield Breaker can be released prematurely and still do good damage."

"Roy's stronger overall though. Just look at his Counter!"

"Yeah, it often does do more damage, but you mainly use Counter to take opponents by surprise and then wail on them. Marth's Counter is just as good when it comes to that."

"Roy's grappler is more powerful."

"Marth is easier to chain toss with."

"Roy's Double Edge Dance is a lot easier to time."

"Both Double Edge Dance and Dancing Blade are easy to time, you dolt. They require some trial and error but when you've got it down, you're not about to forget it."

"It's easier to sweet spot with Roy."

"Please, Marth has a much greater advantage. Since he's a fair distance away from the opponent, you have more time to react."

"Still, Roy has more power behind his attacks."

"What are you on? Marth does more damage in everything but Counter and throwing! Besides, speed can beat power any day of the week, and Marth is a lot faster than Roy."

"But Roy has fire!"

"And Marth has a sharp stick he can poke people with, what's your point?"

"At least you can tell Roy's male; Marth wears a freaking tiara!"

"It's a memento to his dead sister. See, even his character background owns Roy's! It takes a real man to wear a tiara."

"…You are really messed up."

"What, you just noticed?"

Kisara was watching them in amazement while Miles was shaking his head. Gen was covering his forehead with his hand, trying to suppress a large headache he had gotten from listening to the two of them. Claire and Perseus had heard Rue talk about this one too many times and were attempting to ignore the argument.

"What exactly are they talking about?" Kisara asked Miles.  
"They're discussing this awesome Gamecube game called Super Smash Brothers: Melee," Miles told her. "It's a fighting game with twenty-five Nintendo characters you can choose between to be your fighter. They're arguing about whether Marth or Roy is better. It's a popular debate since they are similar characters playing wise. There are differences that may not seem big at first, but they can entirely change someone's playing style. Anyway, Marth and Roy are both swordsmen that came from a series of games called Fire Emblem."

"Which one do most people say is better?" Kisara inquired.

"Usually, Marth is proven to be the better one in the end, although Roy fans refuse to give up on him. Still, both are good characters," Miles shrugged. "I'm a Marth man myself, since he's a lot faster. However, I prefer Fox over both."

"Two for one," Draken said to Rue.

"Two for two," Will corrected as he walked into the room. "I play as Roy."

"HAH!" Rue said triumphantly.

"You shut up," Draken grumbled before turning to Will. "I guess I can see why though. Just look at what Neo turned into."

"Actually, I came up here to tell Neo something. Is he here?" Will asked.

"No, he left almost immediately when we got back. What were you going to say to him?" Perseus asked.

"I was going to tell him to stay out of the kitchen, especially since he's in that new form now," Will explained. "I'm afraid he might not be able to control his power very well, so I wanted to…"

A huge explosion rocked the entire house.

"…I will return shortly," Will said, exiting.

"I'd hate to be Neo right now," Miles commented.

"Yeah… so, do you know anyone else that plays as Marth or Roy?" Rue asked Draken.

"Not sure. Let's see, who else in the group would play? Hope has a Playstation 2, but not a Gamecube, so I bet she doesn't."

"If she has, I bet she's one for Marth. Girls always fall for the prettyboys," Rue snickered. "Just like you and Kisara."

"We can either pretend you did not say that or I can leave you with no bones intact. Which do you choose?" Draken said.

"The first option sounds better," Rue answered. "Anyway, if Max plays, he seems like one who'd be into slow and powerful. That'd make him a Roy user."

"Nah, Max plays to win. He'd want Marth for how much more superior he is," Draken stated.

"Maybe. But I doubt anyone else in the group plays it," Rue sighed.

"Except me," Claire said. "I guess you decided to neglect saying that since I usually beat you, huh?"

"You did not need to mention that," Rue muttered. Then he said, "We should get everyone together and have a tournament or something when everything is over. Teaching everyone else how to play would be fun."

"I doubt you could make Fell want to play it," Draken pointed out.

"His loss," Rue shrugged. "Everyone else would like it. Even Zack could be persuaded to try playing."

"Speaking of which, where is Zack?" Miles asked.

"He went to another room, saying he needed some time alone," Gen replied.

"Oh. I guess he didn't want to have to put up with our bantering," Draken said. "So Kisara, what do you think about this game from what you've heard?"

"It does sound interesting," Kisara admitted. "I cannot compare it with anything though, since I do not play video games."

"It's amazing! I bet even Sarius knows the greatness of it," Rue said. "Although he does seem like one who'd use Marth…"

"Nah, he's totally Zelda and Sheik. She's got the light and darkness balance thing going for her," Draken laughed.

"I don't know whether I want to beat you over the head or give you an award for saying that," Rue said. "I think I'll just smile and nod to compromise."

It was then that Neo made his entrance, staggering into the room before collapsing on the floor.

"It seems Will got his revenge," Darche said dryly.

"He wasn't kidding… about the hose…" Neo managed to gasp out. "Painful… very painful…"

"And now Will has a new method for keeping Neo in line," Miles joked.

"Yes, I do," Will said as he walked in, stepping over Neo as though he was not even there. "Do not go downstairs. I am leaving to get something for us to eat, since we have nothing remaining here due to circumstances. It should not take very long." Before anyone could respond, he left the room.

Miles looked at the door, then Neo, then the door, then Neo, and shook his head. "I think I'll follow Will's instructions and stay here."

"Rule number two of any thief: always be cautious," Gen recited.

"What's rule number three? Don't tell your victim that you stole from them?" Miles said sarcastically.

"No, that is actually number four. Rule number three is refer back to rules one and two," Gen smiled.

After a few seconds of silence, Miles said, "That book is officially lame."

"It sounds more obvious than lame to me," Draken commented, examining Neo. "Well, you should be ok by the time we go back to Teknisk Wereld. Let's hope you are, anyway. I doubt Will is going to feel very sympathetic towards you."

"No kidding…" Neo groaned.

"What surprises me is that Zack didn't come out of that room when that big explosion occurred to see what was going on," Claire said.

"Maybe he's charging, although I don't see why he would, since we'll have enough time for that tonight. I'll go check," Draken decided, getting up. As he left the room, he managed to hear Miles say, "So who do you play as, Claire? Roy or Marth?"

"Marth."

"Yeah, I tried to tell her about the greatness of Roy, but she wouldn't listen," Rue stated.

"Didn't she say she usually wins?" Miles asked.

"…That's beside the point."

Draken shook his head, and then went to the door of the room where Zack was, knocking.

"Come in," he heard a second later.

Draken entered, and saw Zack was sitting in a corner of the room, cards spread out in front of him.

"Is there something you wanted?" Zack inquired.

"I was just wondering what you were up to. You didn't come into our room to ask about the explosion," Draken said.

"I assumed it was Neo," Zack stated. "After living here for the past month, I have grown used to it."

"If you say so…" Draken turned his gaze to the cards. "Remaking your deck?"

"No, just modifying it," Zack replied. "I still have the cards Matt gave me, so I'm adding some in that I did not want before. Now I think they will be beneficial to me."

"You didn't encounter that guy you said you lost to. So you're expecting to face him again sometime soon?" Draken asked.

"Correct. That is why I have to be ready," Zack said.

"That, and you want to be able to protect Larka, right?" Draken assumed.

Zack looked down at the cards spread in front of him. "Of course."

"Well, I'm sure you'll do well," Draken said as he went to the door. "I'm going back to the others."

Zack nodded. "All right. Thanks."

"Not a problem," Draken replied before he closed the door. Then he went back to the room everyone else was in.

"How was he doing?" Claire asked.

"Fine," Draken said, sitting back down. "He's just doing a few things to get ready for when we go back." He turned back to Rue. "So, where did we leave off in our argument?"

…

Amy and Sakura found that they were the first ones to arrive. "I guess that was to be expected though," Sakura commented as they looked around the lake shore and saw nobody else. "We are about five minutes early, and often they wait until the last minute to show up, from what Hope's said."

"Was Hope including herself when she said that?" Amy inquired.

"Unfortunately, yes," Sakura sighed.

"Well, we're not really ones to talk," Amy shrugged. "It's a trait that runs through the Gale family; we always end up late or really close to it one way or another."

"Lucky you," Sakura laughed.

"Amy! Sakura!" Larka called. They turned to see Larka and Fell coming their way with Malon and Daine at their sides. "Are you two the only ones here so far?"

"Yep," Amy replied. "I just arrived."

"As did we," Hope said, coming over with Gaston and Max. "So we're just missing Will's group."

"Not anymore," Rue announced as they suddenly appeared over the slope. "We were just a short distance away from our meeting point."

"Good, it looks like everyone is here," Perseus said.

Sakura noticed that Neo seemed to be more pale that usual. "Is something wrong, Neo?"

"No… nothing…" Neo muttered, looking a bit sick.

"How are we going to get up there?" Miles asked. "Is Darche going to call over some Blue Eyes White Dragons?"

"That was the plan," Darche replied, holding up his sword. "I might not be able to get that many to come, since it's nighttime, but I'm sure at least a few will arrive. The ones that do show up may have to take multiple trips up and down to get everyone to the Sky Temple, but it will work out. Kazel can also help out. Well Draken? You want me to do it now?"

Draken nodded. "The sooner we get up there, the better."

Darche's sword began to glow blue. A few minutes later, five Blue Eyes descended in front of them, softly hissing at Darche.

"It would be better if we recalled all the Soul Monsters except for Kazel," Draken said. "Two people per dragon should work."

Malon whimpered and looked up at Draken with big, sad eyes.

"…Fine, Malon can stay out if he must," Draken sighed. "At least he isn't that big."

"The cute ones always get him," Rue laughed.

"Shut up and get on one of the dragons," Draken ordered.

Kisara and Amy boarded Kazel, while Hope and Max, Rue and Claire, Will and Fell, Zack and Larka, and Miles and Draken each boarded separate Blue Eyes. The dragons took off instantly, soaring straight up until they went through the clouds.

They arrived at the Sky Temple shortly and landed on the clouds. Everyone dismounted, and Draken sent them off after thanking them. Kisara had to recall Kazel, since they were keeping all of the Soul Monsters (except for Malon) in their Soul Cards to conserve space, and then they went inside.

Everyone took a few moments to admire the interior of the back room that they had not been in last time. Amy and Claire were impressed with the whole place though, as neither had even seen the temple until now.

There wasn't much else to be said. Since they would have to get up at five forty-five to prepare for Sarius arriving, they would need all the sleep they could get. So everyone settled into the room except for Fell, who instantly went outside.

"I'm never going to get him," Rue sighed, taking off his hat to use as a crude pillow.

"Have you… er… set yourself to wake up at the right time?" Draken asked, not sure on how to say it.

"Yes. It is ready," Zack answered, pressing a button on his wrist to confirm his selections.

"Great. Then let's hit the hay," Miles said, lying back.

"That's the best idea you've had yet," Rue joked, doing the same.

"If I wasn't so tired, I'd argue over that point," Miles muttered.

"Good night everyone," Larka said.

It must have been due to the busy day most of them had, for even the anticipation of ending this whole affair could not keep them awake. In less than five minutes, all of them were asleep… except for one.

Outside, Fell summoned Daine, who looked up at him. "Do you want me to act as a sentry, master?"

"Yes," Fell said. "I have something I wish to do."

"You really should get some rest. It will be a long day tomorrow," Daine stated.

Fell paused, and then said, "I know. However, this cannot wait. I may not have another chance."

Daine recalled what Fell had said earlier that day and nodded. "All right. If it is that important, then I shall say no more."

…

Zack woke up abruptly and froze at once. He could tell that something was not right. It could not be nearly six yet; the darkness of the sky meant it had to be just an hour or so since they had fallen asleep. That meant that someone must have triggered him into awaking.

He looked towards the door way, and felt a surge of relief when he saw that it was just Fell standing there. Now that there was no enemy to be worried about, he wondered why Fell would be coming back into here.

To his surprise, Fell turned his gaze to him. After a few moments, he gestured towards Zack, and then to himself before going back down the hallway.

_He wants me to go with him? But why? _Zack wondered. No answer came to him though, so he got up. _I suppose I won't know unless I follow._

Zack silently walked out of the room and continued going through the temple until he was outside it. Fell stood in front of the staircase, while Daine was lying down at the very right of it.

"Did you want something?" Zack asked when Fell did not say anything.

"…I need to speak with you on a matter that has been concerning me for a long time," Fell said, sitting down on the top stair.

To have Fell, of all people, actually want to start a conversation was beyond unusual. Zack sat next to him and said, "Go ahead. I will listen."

Fell hesitated a moment, uneasy about how to begin. He finally started, with a blunt statement. "You love her."

Zack could instantly tell that he was referring to Larka. It surprised him that Fell would want to discuss such a thing with him. Wondering what this was all about, he said, "Yes."

"…You told her today. I could tell by the way both of you were acting, although her actions told me more," Fell said.

"How did you know I was the one to confess?" Zack inquired.

"Larka is too shy to be so forthcoming with such a matter. She would gladly tell her feeling if prompted to, but she would not want to start such a conversation," Fell said.

"True… yes, I did tell her. And she said that she felt the same," Zack said, unsure on how Fell would take this.

For a moment, he did nothing. Then he said, "…That is good."

Whatever reaction Zack had been expecting, that wasn't it. "Why do you say that?"

"…Because now she will have someone that she can love," Fell stated.

"What about you?" Zack asked. "She loves you, and nothing would change that for her."

"…As do I," Fell said. "She is the only person I have cared about for a very long time. That is why I wished this for her."

Zack still wasn't clear on where he was going with this. "What do you mean?"

Again, Fell paused, and then he said, "When Sarius leaves this world… I will be going with him. After the duel Larka and I had with him, he said I could if I wanted to."

"…So you are agreeing to this offer he made you?" Zack assumed.

"…Yes. I am not sure why he wants me to join him. I cannot comprehend what it is that he sees in me. However, if his offer is still valid… I shall accept it."

"This means you would help him by going to other worlds, right?" Zack inferred.

"Yes," Fell answered.

"Back then, all you cared about was Larka," Zack stated.

"And myself," Fell said emotionlessly.

Zack was not sure of what to say to that. "…Perhaps. But I am surprised you would consider such a proposition if it meant separating you from Larka."

"Sarius said she could come with me as well," Fell responded.

"…Then why not ask her to? She would accompany you if you wanted her to," Zack said, the words weighing heavily on him. He wanted Larka to take the course that would be best for her, but to be separated just after he had found the courage to say what he had been feeling all along…

To his surprise, Fell shook his head at once. "I cannot do that."

"Why?"

"…Because that would make her unhappy," Fell said. "She loves this world. She has friends that trust in her as she trusts them. That was one of her greatest desires; simply to have friends. And now she has someone beyond that… a person who can love her, and stay with her forever." Fell shook his head. "Are you saying I should steal all of this away from her? I have been selfish enough. I will not drag her down with me."

"Then why must you leave?" Zack questioned. "What makes you want to go with Sarius?"

"…I am not like my sister," Fell stated. "I do not like this world. It feels as though I do not belong here. I have found people I can… trust. Yet I do nothing for them. It is a shaky bond, and one I feel as though I might not be able to uphold." He gazed up at the sky as he went on. "Sarius is different. I do not know why, but I feel as though I want to help him. Despite some of the things he has done, I still hold trust for him. It is strange, but that is how I feel. It is possible that I want to be of use to Sarius because there is something that makes me stand out in his eyes. Maybe I like that idea, of being wanted. Also, if what Sarius says is true, we will be visiting many worlds." Although he doubted what he saw at first, Zack was sure Fell gave a slight smile at this part. "Perhaps that means I can find a place where I feel that I truly belong."

Zack knew there was nothing he could say to deny Fell's words, but he still said, "Larka will miss you with all of her heart."

"…Not all of it. Part of it is now devoted to you," Fell said. "She will accept this. Her greatest concern about me was that I was not happy. Going down this new path may not be any better. Maybe it will be worse. I might wish I never chose this course in my life. However, the opportunity to find what I have been wanting for so long is worth the risks. Larka will know that, and she will want me to do what she believes is best for me." Fell finally turned his gaze back to Zack, staring into his eyes. "My time here was valuable. I have someone that I can love, even if I may never see her again, and I know that she will feel the same way for me. I know that I have the ability to trust others. And… I have faced my fears, accepting that they will be there. I believe that is what mastering the darkness within me is. I now have the ability to look at what frightens me, and say that I do feel fear clawing me, and then face it for greater causes." He turned away once more, closing his eyes. "It is possible that I will never learn anything more important than that. I would like to think that I might, however, find more lessons such as that one. Questions such as these… they are my greatest challenge. I do not know why, but that makes me all the happier."

"…So nothing will change your mind," Zack said.

"Nothing," Fell stated, now looking at the steps in front of him. "This means that I must ask something of you, even if you think it unnecessary."

"Yes?"

"…Please, look after her for me," Fell said, his eyes glittering. "I have played the role of being her guardian very poorly, but for that time, I was all she had. Now she can depend on someone who is much more reliable than I will ever be." Again, Fell's eyes met his. "I ask of you… no, beg of you… to keep her safe."

"…You are right. You did not have to request me to do that," Zack smiled. "However, now I will do so for your sake as well as hers. There are very few things I have given my word on, but I promise you that I will guard her with my life… even if I have to lose it to do so."

Blue electricity suddenly shot through Zack. Fell watched him warily as it faded away, leaving Zack in a fair amount of pain.

"Machines do not have emotions. That is their greatest strength and most fatal flaw," Zack said. "I was supposed to be like that. Somehow, I kept my soul. That is something I am truly gratefully for." He looked at his metal left hand, which reflected back the light of the stars and moon. "I will overcome anything I must to keep those emotions… even my own body. That is the goal I strive for. The day I overcome it, that greatest challenge… I might never be able to find another one to haunt me. So I will be both overjoyed and saddened on the day that I complete it. Does that seem odd to you?"

"…A while ago, it would have. But now… I find that I understand it completely," Fell said.

Zack got up from the steps. "You have chosen your path, and I have found mine. We will split for those paths, but they will cross several more times from now. Let us meet again on those intersections, so that we may tell of our journey through life. We both wonder if we have indeed made the right choices. I feel as though we have, and I pray that it is not false hope."

Fell also rose, but only nodded.

"Is there anything else you wanted to say?" Zack asked.

"…Nothing. You already answered anything I could possibly ask at this time," Fell responded.

"If my words have helped, then I am satisfied. I bid you good night." He went into the hallway, going towards the back room.

"…You hold much respect for him, master," Daine commented.

"…Yes. That is why I can finally feel relaxed about my decision," Fell stated as he lay down. With his largest concerns aside, he at last felt as though he could let himself sleep.

…

Zack had thought that the next time he would wake up, it would be five forty-five. This was not the case. Instead, he was awoken by Rue yelping and a large crash.

He wasn't the only one to come around. Everyone else was up instantly, and saw Amy, looking bewildered, on top of Rue, who seemed to be having trouble breathing, as Amy was crushing him into the ground.

"What did Rue do this time?" Draken asked as he sat up.

"Everything," Miles answered automatically.

"I should have been the one… to fill your dark soul… with LIIIIIIIIIGHT!" Rue gasped out, still half unconscious.

"Oh dear," Amy said, getting up. "I think I made him lose even more brain cells by doing that. Maybe I kicked him in the head by accident."

"Did you sleep walk?" Hope asked, being very familiar with her sister's odd habit.

"I'm afraid so," Amy confessed. "I would have walked right into that wall if Rue's body hadn't stopped me. Thanks Rue!"

"I MUST obey my master," Rue muttered.

It was then that Daine ran into the room. "What happened?"

"Nothing important," Miles assured. "We just got a bit of an early wake up call."

"That is fine, because I would have gotten you up myself," Daine stated. "Someone is approaching."

"Is it Sarius?" Claire asked worriedly.

"No. I do not know who this man is," Daine replied. "He will be here shortly, so please come to the front at once." Then he ran back down the hall.

Malon leapt out of Larka's arms and went after him at once while everyone else got up and grabbed their Duel Disks. Rue was still out of it, so Draken went over to him and shook him roughly. "Come on, get up. We have to get moving."

"You were the Chosen One! You were supposed to destroy the Marth supporters, not join them!" Rue said, his eyes still closed.

"Good grief," Draken sighed. Then he kicked Rue in the side.

"Ow! I'm up, I'm up!" Rue protested, rising. "What did I do this time?"

"Everything," Miles repeated as they headed for the hall.

"It always seems that way, doesn't it?" Rue muttered.

When they got to the front, they saw Fell, Daine, and Malon standing at the top of the steps, looking down at what they assumed to be the man Daine spoke of.

"You cannot try to deny it," they heard him say. "I recognize that Soul Monster. It is the Limiter's, which means she must be here. I have already had to go through resistance to get to her before, and I would prefer to not have to do it again. Please step aside."

"That voice…" Larka whispered.

"Do you recognize it?" Kisara asked softly.

"Yes…" Larka looked over at Zack. "Should I…"

"Let me," Zack requested. "I will not fail again… I can't afford to. I ask of you to let me have a second chance."

Larka did not say anything, but she nodded. That was all that was needed. Zack went out of the doorway and to the staircase.

"I'm sorry if I am denying your wishes," Zack said as he came up next to Fell. "However, like before, I can't just stand aside. If you want to get to Larka, you will have to defeat me first, Lario!"

"Ah… I should have known you would be here if the Limiter was," Lario stated. "It seems you have recovered from our last encounter."

"Yes," Zack confirmed.

"Still, I hope you have improved. In the first duel we had, you barely put up a fight," Lario pointed out.

"I knew I would face you again," Zack said, walking down the stairs towards him. "So I took proper precautions. I can't afford to lose again."

"You seem quite confident," Lario commented, turning on his Duel Disk and bringing out Shinato. "Let us see what brought about this new manner of yours."

"We should go down and bring out our Soul Monsters," Will suggested. "It would be easier if they also watched than having us try to explain it later."

" Yeah, you're right," Hope agreed, starting down the stairs with everyone else following. When they were on the much more roomy cloud, all of them brought out their Soul Monsters.

"What's going on now?" Gaston asked as he saw Zack and Lario facing off.

"His name is Lario. He is not with Sarius or Juno, although he would support Sarius if he had to choose," Larka explained. "It is possible for him to acquire Limiter powers for himself, so he wants mine. We met him when we were here before, looking for Mavericks. Zack dueled him, but lost."

"You think he can win this time?" Neo inquired, seeming a bit anxious.

"I know he will," Larka said. "Because… I believe in him."

Zack: 8000

Lario: 8000

"You lost before, so I will let you go first if you wish to," Lario offered.

"Thanks, I accept," Zack replied. "I lay one monster in defense mode and two cards face down. It's your turn."

Lario considered the card he drew, and then said, "Last time we dueled, you did not get to see Shinato's Deck Master ability. I will tell you of it now. If I draw a Light Main-Type, I can pay 500 Life Points to destroy one monster on your field."

"Shenanigans!" Miles yelled.

Rue paled. "That's almost identical to Juno's Deck Master, except that he had to draw Dark Main-Types! Does that mean that Lario is running a Shinato deck, like Juno ran Zork? Is Shinato a strong ritual monster too?"

"Shinato is an Angel Sub-Type that is summoned through the ritual Ark of Miracles," Will said. "He is stronger than Zork in stats, but although his effect is good, it can only affect one monster, unlike Zork. You'll see what I mean if he summons Shinato."

Lario showed Zack his card. "I drew Blade Knight, which is indeed a Light Sub-Type. I will pay 500 Life Points to destroy your monster."

Zack: 8000

Lario: 7500

"That was my Drillago…" (1600/1100)

"I summon Manju God. (1400/1000) He allows me to search my deck for a ritual monster or a ritual magic and add it to my hand." Lario made his choice and shuffled his deck before sliding it into his Duel Disk. "I attack directly with Manju God."

"I play my trap card, Cry of the Living Dead!" Zack countered. "This allows me to special summon a monster from my Cemetery in face up attack mode. So I will choose Drillago! Do you still attack?"

"I do not see any point in it," Lario said. "I lay two cards face down and end my turn."

"First, I summon KA-2 Death Scissors," (1000/1000) Zack said. "Then I activate another trap card, Raremetal Conversion, Magic Reflex Armor! I choose one Machine Sub-Type monster on my field and raise its attack by 500. I choose my Death Scissors. (1500/1000) Then I attack you with Drillago!"

"In response to your attack, I activate Enemy Controller, and choose to switch Drillago to defense mode," Lario said.

Zack did not seem concerned. "That is fine. I'll attack with Death Scissors next!"

"This time, I activate Book of the Moon on it, so it will go into face down defense mode," Lario stated.

The book appeared, and opened in midair. But as the moonlight streamed out of the pages, the metal armor on the Death Scissors reflected the light away.

"That is the second thing my Magic Reflex Armor does," Zack explained. "The first magic card that you target my Machine Sub-Type with is negated. That means my Scissor's attack goes through!"

"At least it does hardly any damage," Lario said as his Manju God was cut to pieces.

"Actually, your Life Points will take quite a hit from it," Zack informed him.

"What?" Lario looked at his Life Point counter, and to his surprise, he found that it was dropping rapidly.

"When KA-2 Death Scissors destroys another monster in battle, you lose 500 Life Points times the level your monster was," Zack said. "Since your Manju God was level four, that means you lose 2100 Life Points overall."

Zack: 8000

Lario: 5400

"That did more than I expected," Lario stated as he drew. "But it will not matter in the end. I just drew the final card I need. So I will activate this card now, Ark of Miracles! By offering Blade Knight and Mirage Dragon from my hand, I special summon Ruler of Heaven Shinato!" (3300/3000)

"Yep, his deck seems to be based on him," Will commented as Shinato appeared.

"Well. This isn't good. This isn't good at all," Miles said with wide eyes.

"Does Zack even have anything that is strong enough to defeat that?" Claire asked.

"Maybe nothing by itself, but he can put together combinations of cards to defeat him. Don't jump to conclusions yet," Gen said.

Larka just continued to watch the match, her fists clenched at her side.

"Now I equip Shinato with Meteor Strike. As you might remember, this lets Shinato do damage to monsters in defense mode," Lario stated.

"Ah… a good strategy on his part," Will said.

"What do you mean?" Amy asked.

"Whenever Shinato destroys a monster in defense mode, its base attack is subtracted from the opponent's Life Points," Will explained. "With Meteor Strike, he'll be able to inflict damage for the attack itself and still use Shinato's effect to its fullest potential."

"Geez! I can see why Zack lost before," Draken winced.

"He had time to prepare to face him again," Claire reminded them. "He might have a certain card in mind to counter Shinato with."

"Let's hope so," Sakura said.

"Now I attack your Drillago!" Lario declared as Shinato raised his hands and sent out a beam of white energy, which tore through the monster and connected with Zack.

Zack: 4500

Lario: 5400

Despite the pain the strike caused, Zack remained standing as he flipped over his face down card. "I activate a trap card, Time Machine! It allows me to bring back the monster you destroyed in battle in the same mode that it was destroyed in. So Drillago returns to my field in defense mode."

"That is fine. I am done."

Zack looked over his hand, and nodded. "This is the only strategy I can think of… I sacrifice Drillago to summon Immense Battleship Big Core! (2300/1100) I lay one card face down and end my turn."

"Hm… either I could destroy your KA-2 Death Scissors for more damage, or I could destroy Big Core to make sure that it doesn't interfere with Shinato," Lario mused. "I would prefer not to take any chances. Shinato attacks Big Core!"

Shinato sent another beam of light at Big Core, but a clear barrier suddenly appeared around the battleship, negating most of the blast. Some bits of the energy managed to get through the barrier though, hitting Big Core.

"How is it still here?" Lario asked.

"When I summon Big Core, it starts out with three counters," Zack said. "Each time it is in battle, a counter is removed, but it is not destroyed. It is destroyed on the damage step of the battle phase it enters without a counter. I do take Life Point damage though."

Zack: 3500

Lario: 5400

"It can only last for so long."

"It will last long enough," Zack stated. "I sacrifice KA-2 Death Scissors for Immense Battleship Tetoran!" (1800/2300)

Rue stared at it in disbelief. "What the heck? I didn't know there were more cards like that!"

"I call D-8," Draken joked.

"No! You sunk my battleship!" Miles exclaimed in a melodramatic tone, falling to his knees.

"Would you people shut up?" Sakura snapped. "This is a serious duel you know!"

"Oh, yeah, sorry," Miles said sheepishly as he got up.

"Does this one also get three counters?" Lario inquired.

"Yes, its effect is very similar to Big Core's," Zack answered. "However, it has another effect as well. By removing a counter, I can destroy a magic or trap card on the field. I will remove one to destroy Meteor Strike. Then I switch Big Core to defense mode and end my turn."

"I lay one card face down, attack Tetoran with Shinato, and end my turn," Lario said.

Zack: 2000

Lario: 5400

Zack looked at his hand, and then said, "I lay one monster in defense mode and switch Tetoran to defense mode. That is all."

"I lay two cards down and attack Tetoran with Shinato." As the light faded from the attack, Lario stated, "You have no counters left on Tetoran now. One more battle phase and it will be gone for good. Go ahead and make your move."

Zack drew his card slowly and looked at it. Then he smiled. "You are right. It will be gone in one more battle phase. But that is all I need."

"You think you can defeat me this turn?" Lario asked doubtfully.

"I am almost positive that I can. Let me show you. First, I flip summon Sonic Jammer. (350/650) This prevents you from activating magic cards until the end phase of the next turn, so any instant magic cards you might have are useless. Next, I sacrifice him for Immense Battleship Crystal Core!" (2100/1000)

"Another one?" Claire said in disbelief.

"So were these the modifications he made to his deck?" Draken wondered. "It seems like he mainly added some Battleship cards and that's about it…"

"There are a few other differences, but that is the main one," Zack informed him before turning back to Lario. "I switch Big Core and Tetoran to attack mode. Then I activate a magic card, Limiter Removal!"

"I remember that one," Lario said. "All of your Machine Sub-Types' attacks are doubled, but they are destroyed at the end phase of the turn."

"Correct," Zack confirmed. "Which means I have quite a formidable force! (4600/1100) (3600/2300) (4200/1000) Big Core attacks Shinato!"

"I will have to stop this with one of my few trap cards," Lario announced. "I activate Itaqua's Gale! All of your monsters change modes; in this case, your three Battleships go from attack mode to defense mode."

"Sorry, but I can't allow that to happen. I have to win this," Zack said. "I counter with Bandit's Swiss Army Knife! By paying 1000 Life Points, I negate and destroy your trap!"

Zack: 1000

Lario: 5400

"There is nothing I can do then," Lario said as he watched Big Core tear apart Shinato with several red lasers.

"Then it's over. Tetoran and Crystal Core finish off your remaining Life Points!"

Lario barely had enough time to brace himself before he was assaulted by the two other Battleships.

Zack: 1000

Lario: 0

"Mass carriers equal instant win!" Rue shouted into the silence.

The customary thunk of Will's book hitting Rue over the head came after it. "We do not need any references to Starcraft."

Lario dismissed Shinato and turned off his Duel Disk. "You have taken your duties much more seriously. It is good to see that, at least." He paused, and then said, "I have lost the right to try and take this Limiter's powers. I don't even know where the second one is, but I assume that Tirran has a head start on me for it as well. I will not be able to catch up. So I shall depart this world shortly. You will not have to worry about meeting again."

Zack nodded. "All right. Thank you for making me realize what I had to do."

Lario did not reply to that, but Zack understood from the expression he wore that he was, at least slightly, satisfied. Then he turned and walked away, vanishing into the dark.

"Nice win," Draken said to Zack as he came back over to them. "Those were some pretty cool additions to your deck."

"Thanks. They served their purpose well," Zack replied.

"Um… Zack… thank you…" Larka managed to say.

"I should be the one thanking you for your trust," Zack said. "It means a lot to me."

Rue coughed, looking awkward, and said, "What time is it?"

"I would assume it is nearly six," Will answered, looking at the sky. "The sun should start rising any moment now."

Kazel's head suddenly shot up. "Over there, in the sky… they are coming."

They turned to look where her gaze was. There they saw something flying towards them. As it got closer, its huge size and structure showed that it could only be one thing.

Raid.

To be continued…


	22. Dawn of the Sun God

All right, I will say this now. The main duel in this chapter made me want to shoot myself several times in the head. It was and will probably remain the most annoying duel for me to write, due to how annoying mathematical calculations were. But you guys ought to like it since you don't have to worry about that kind of thing. So enjoy!

John: Fell's leave might not be as heart wrenching as you would think…

Captain Obvious: Yep, I had the right word then, but it is tricky to spell. Marth's my main, and my favorite character in Super Smash Brothers: Melee. Link I'm ok with, I don't like Kirby much. Fell isn't leaving quite yet, save your goodbyes until he does.

**Chapter 22: Dawn of the Sun God**

"There he is," Draken said into the silence that was only broken by the sound of Raid's wings.

Larka watched him approach, her nervousness increasing with every second. However, knowing that her friends were there to back her up comforted her. She remained where she was, waiting for Raid to land.

Hope felt an uneasy feeling as they approached. She couldn't tell what it was that made her feel this way, but she felt as though something bad was going to happen. This did not make her any happier about the situation. All she could do was pray that Larka would make it through this.

Will also thought that something seemed odd. He could not pin point what this strange new emotion was. It wasn't fear, or apprehension; it was almost a feeling of excitement.

Raid landed a short distance away, and five figures jumped off of him, approaching the group.

It was no shock to any of them that Sarius, the Child, and Cyrus were three of them. But they were somewhat surprised to see Aya and Adene there as well. In a second, Sahaqiel and Bowen appeared too.

"I am glad to see you are all here at the appropriate time," Sarius said as a greeting.

"Why did it have to be this early?" Rue complained. "If Lario hadn't shown up, we probably would still be half-asleep now."

"So, Lario came here first… how did he fare?" Sarius inquired.

"Zack beat him in a duel and he left," Darche said.

"Ah… well done," Sarius directed towards Zack. "I do hope you will not interfere with this match I wish to have, though."

"This is one battle I cannot fight for her," Zack stated. "But I will remain here as a supporter."

"We all will," Kisara said quietly, and nobody spoke against her.

"You are fortunate to have so many friends, Larka," Sarius told her. "I personally do not mind an audience. Aya and Adene wanted to watch as well, so they came along too."

"What about Mach and Shadow?" Kazel asked.

Adene laughed at that. "Shadow is probably getting supplies to throw a party since he'll be so happy to leave this world when the time comes. Mach would be trying to restrain him."

"They are waiting for us to return, in other words," Aya said. "Mach liked dueling, but Shadow has resented it from the start."

"What about you two? Did you like this game?" Perseus questioned.

Adene nodded. "Yeah. It was pretty fun while it lasted."

"I enjoyed it," Aya seconded.

After a moment of silence, Sarius said, "Well then, shall we get started?"

"…If you are ready," Larka replied, slowly walking towards him. Malon followed at her heels, his ears flat against the back of his head.

When she stopped in front of him, he began to speak. "Larka, Limiter of light, I am in need of the power that is inside of you. However, I must win this fairly. Therefore, I challenge you to a duel. If I am the victor, you are to relinquish your power to me. If you win, I shall not bother you again on the matter. Also, I will give you something of mine that you will find you have needed. Do you accept?"

"Yes," Larka said at once.

"Good. Then we shall begin at once…"

_"Are you sure you want to let them start when it could be interrupted so easily?"_

"You!" Rue exclaimed, causing everyone to turn to him.

"Is something wrong?" Sakura asked.

"He's Rue, of course something is. To be more specific, it's his mind," Draken said. "But way to break the serious mood."

"Sorry…" Rue replied while he thought, _What__ do you mean?_

_"That man called Juno is after the Limiter too, you know. If he is left alone, the duel may get about five minutes in at max before he arrives here."_

_How can you be so sure that he is near? _Rue asked suspiciously.

_"I'm a demon, remember? I can sense him nearby. His energy is impossible to miss."_

_And what do you propose?_

_"…A delay, of sorts."_

_You think I can beat Juno?_ Rue thought incredulously.

_"I meant that I would face him, you pathetic wuss."_

_You?__ Ok, now I know you're up to something, _Rue accused. _Since when do you do anything to help others?_

_"I have a reason for wanting to go against this one. He interests me. I am doing this for my own desire, not to help your little hybrid friend."_

What was surprising Rue the most was that he was feeling emotions that weren't his own. He had felt faint signs of that when he had talked with Demon Rue before, but it was more obvious than ever now. Despite the way Demon Rue was talking, he did seem to have some form of concern for keeping the people in the group alive. However, Rue couldn't tell whether this was because Demon Rue cared about them or he planned to use them in some way or another. Knowing him, Rue was leaning towards the latter.

_Still, it would cause a good enough distraction so that Larka and Sarius could finish their duel, right?_

_"Yes."_

_Fine then, I'll let you duel him, even though I have no idea why you'd want to._

"Guys, I have to do something," Rue said abruptly. "It's really, really important, or I wouldn't be leaving at a time like this. It's not like I'm trying to abandon Larka or anything. I can explain later, but please let me do what I must right now."

"If it is that vital to take care of now, you had best go," Larka agreed. "I do not feel as though you are abandoning me. Good luck in whatever your task may be."

"Thanks," Rue replied, relieved. "I'll be back as soon as possible."

"Do you want anyone else to come?" Claire asked, concerned. It wasn't like Rue to suddenly run off when one of his friends was in the middle of something so important, after all.

"I must go by myself, but thanks anyway." He turned to Ruecian, who had been watching him. "Unfortunately, that applies to you too. I'm sorry… but it has to be done this way."

Ruecian gazed at him for a long moment, and finally nodded.

"Thanks for trusting in me," Rue said gratefully. _Ok, which way do I go?_

_"Past the Chaos Emperor Dragon.__ Keep going straight. When they cannot see us anymore, I shall take over."_

_Fine.__ But no killing sprees, all right?_

_"…I did that when I was barely coming into consciousness again. It is an act only lowly demons frequent in, although we all enjoy slaying a few things now and then. The point is, I have no interest in doing such a thing at the moment."_

_Really reassuring, _Rue thought as he went past Raid, who glared at him but did not move. Once he was past Raid, he took off at a run, going straight forward.

When the temple was no more than a black speck behind them, Rue heard the demon say, _"I will take it from here on out. All you need to do is not resist when I attempt to gain control."_

_Fine, _Rue mentally sighed. Then he felt as though dark energy was spreading through his whole body, trying to seize it. Rue's first reaction was to want to throw any kind of defense he possibly could against it, but keeping Demon Rue's words in mind, he stayed still, his eyes shut in pain.

When they opened, they were blood red.

"It's been a while since I have been out like this," Demon Rue commented, flexing his hands. "I really should do it more often… but I suppose my precious host with his annoying ideals wouldn't allow me to do that."

_You're damn right I wouldn't, _he heard Rue say.

Demon Rue raised an eyebrow. "How interesting… you can still hear me, eh?"

_Obviously._

"Irritating," Demon Rue said. "But there isn't much I can do about that."

_That's my body I'm loaning you. Make use of it or I'm taking it back._

"Fine, I get the point." Demon Rue concentrated on the area around him, trying to get an idea of where Juno was. He found the course quickly, and set off.

…

"What could be so urgent that he has to take off now of all times?" Draken wondered.

"I don't know. It worries me, but there's nothing we can do about it," Claire said. "We have to support Larka now."

"Right," Draken agreed, temporarily putting aside his concern.

"…If you are done with discussing that, may I ask that we begin?" Sarius requested.

"Let us finish this," Larka said, turning on her Duel Disk. Malon barked in agreement.

"Didn't Master Tirran say that this was the girl who defeated Bolt, Mistress Aya?" Adene asked.

"Yes. That means she must have at least a decent degree of skill," Aya answered.

"Your brother has improved since the last duel we had," Sarius said as he activated his Duel Disk too. "I expect you to do just as well, if not greater."

"I will do my best to fulfill your expectations," Larka assured.

…

Juno had not really had any leads on where to look for the Limiter until he had seen Raid fly by. Luckily, it appeared that Tirran and his companions had not noticed him. He had managed to see the direction they had gone in and was now following it. He was quite sure he would run into Tirran-and the Limiter-very soon.

Suddenly, he saw someone standing in front of him, right in the middle of the direction that he was walking. He paused, considering the person in front of him. He recognized Rue from when he had seen him in the lake, but now he seemed different. Juno then caught sight of his eyes, and concluded that something was indeed different about him. He assumed that something was possessing him, which might actually make him somewhat difficult to get rid of, much to his annoyance.

"You shall not pass," Demon Rue stated. "Not until you best me, at least."

"Why should I have to listen to you? Do you know just who I am?" Juno said, reaching towards his sword.

"Juno, correct? Sarius' worst enemy. You sound almost like a demon yourself, due to how evil you are rumored to be. Once again, the rumors disappoint me," Demon Rue smirked.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Juno demanded, eyeing him suspiciously.

Demon Rue shook his head with a pitying expression. "I thought your aura would be much darker than this. Yet I sense that part of it is light energy, of all things. Is this truly the same man everyone else was talking about?"

Juno moved almost too fast for Demon Rue to react on. His sword sliced cleanly through Demon Rue's midsection, cleaving him into two. Yet when Juno's sword had exited his flesh, it mended instantly, dark energy repairing him so it looked as though he had never even been hurt there.

"Do not speak of such useless sentiments," Juno growled, sheathing his sword. "You may care for things like that, but I do not. I discarded those worthless emotions long ago."

"…I suppose I won't argue against that," Demon Rue replied, staggering up. "I was almost too late to be able to save my host…"

_Way to go, you sarcastic jerk, _Rue said to Demon Rue, ticked off that he had nearly made them both wind up dead.

_"I was merely speaking the truth." _Before Rue could reply, Demon Rue said, "I can tell another attempt at healing such a wound would deplete me of all my energy. So let us get to the chase."

"You have already irritated me," Juno stated. "If you wish to live, I advise moving. I have business to accomplish."

"I am challenging you to a duel," Demon Rue declared. "If you decline, I have cards that can make this area impassible for quite some time. It would delay you more than simply playing a duel, I can assure you."

As much as Juno hated to admit it, he knew that was certainly possible. So, much to his disgust, he said, "Fine. When I win, you are going to leave, immediately, and never interfere with me again. You will also not alert the Limiter and her group that I am coming. Understood?"

"If you win, sure, I'll do that. If I win, however, you need to leave the Limiter and her companions alone," Demon Rue stated.

"You are quite the hypocrite," Juno said, bringing out Zork.

"I want their lives preserved for my own gains, and nothing more," Demon Rue replied. "But as you said, you are in a rush. We had best start, unless you want the Limiter to lose her power before you even reach her."

Juno did not bother responding to that, partly because he saw no point in making the effort to, but also because it was true.

…

Larka: 8000

Sarius: 8000

"If you wish to go first, then you may do so," Sarius offered.

"Thank you, I will," Larka replied. "I lay one card down and summon Blade Knight. (1600/1000) I'm done."

"I start by placing a monster in defense mode and placing a card down. Go ahead," Sarius said.

Larka was somewhat hesitant to try a full-scale assault on Sarius, but trying to wait it out probably would not help matters. "I'll summon Dunamis Valkyria!" (1800/1050)

"In response, I activate Tidal Wave," Sarius declared. "All monsters on the field are destroyed. I lose my Mirage Dragon." (2100/1500)

"I cannot do anything else," Larka said, looking a bit nervous about the position she was now in.

"Now it is my turn to go on the offensive," Sarius stated. "I summon Black Warrior Werewolf." (2100/1500)

"I know what his effect is, so I activate Emissary of Harmony now! Battle damage will be decreased to zero now," Larka said.

Sarius nodded. "Good call. If you had waited until the battle step, Black Warrior Werewolf would have prevented you from activating trap cards. Since it would be pointless to attack, it is your turn now."

Larka was unsure about what she would be able to do to combat Sarius' powered up monsters. With Raid constantly boosting every monster he summoned, it would be difficult for her to overcome them. Much to her relief, she managed to draw the card that would help her overcome that.

"I summon Volt Girl (1900/800) and equip her with Shine Castle! This raises her attack by 700! (2600/800) Volt Girl attacks your Black Warrior Werewolf! I lay one card down and end my turn."

Larka: 8000

Sarius: 7500

"First blood is hers!" Miles said triumphantly.

"But it is the last blood that counts the most," Will stated.

"How about a little more enthusiasm?" Miles retorted.

"Will is right to be cautious," Darche told him. "The duel has just begun. It could go either way."

"That won't stop me for cheering for her successes!" Miles declared. Nobody could argue against him about that.

"I will play Angel's Gift, to draw three cards and discard two," Sarius said. "Swift Black Ninja and Wandering Hero, Freed go to the Cemetery. Then I remove both of them to special summon Chaos Soldier-Messenger of Creation!" (3500/3000)

"That's not good," Amy stated as the Chaos Soldier appeared.

"It's been destroyed before and it can be again," Gaston assured.

"I also summon Twilight Zone Survivor! (2300/700) Chaos Soldier attacks!" Sarius said.

Although Larka was worried about how she would get rid of it, this attack was not a large threat to her at the moment. "I activate another Emissary of Harmony!"

"So, you got two in the starting hand? Quite fortunate," Sarius commented. "I'm done."

Luck seemed to remain with Larka as she saw her next card. "I summon my own Wandering Hero, Freed! (1700/1200) I'll activate his effect. By removing two Light Main-Type monsters, he can destroy a monster on the field that has more attack than he does. I will remove Blade Knight and Dunamis Valkyria to do this! Now I play Shine Spark!" It took a moment for everyone to adjust their eyes to the new, bright field. After the spectators could see again, Larka continued. "This raises all Light Main-Types attacks by 500 and lowers their defense by 400. (3100/400) (2200/700) Volt Girl attacks your Twilight Zone Survivor, and Freed attacks directly!"

Larka: 8000

Sarius: 4500

"Dang, Sarius is getting owned!" Miles grinned.

"It seems pretty one sided," Neo agreed.

"I still feel like he has something hidden up his sleeve," Will stated.

"…Me too," Hope said, looking worried.

Max had been concerned with how she had looked right before the duel started, and her appearance now only reinforced this. "Are you all right, Hope? You've been acting oddly."

"Yes," she responded. "I just have an uneasy feeling about this."

"As do I," Will seconded. "We'll probably see what is causing this soon enough."

At the same time, Adene was saying to Aya, "Master Tirran is planning something, isn't he?"

"I would assume so," Aya said. "He certainly is not out yet."

Sarius did not seem overly concerned with his newest loss. "I play Cyclone, destroying your Shine Spark." The light faded away, leaving them back in the darkness of the waning night. (2600/800) (1700/1200) "The only other thing I do is lay one card face down."

Larka considered her options. An attack seemed very risky, but if it went through, she would be the winner. Finally, she decided to attempt it. "I will attack you directly with Volt Girl!"

"I activate my trap card, Holy Barrier-Mirror Force!" Sarius countered. "It negates your attack and destroys all of your monsters in attack mode."

"So close… I lay one monster in defense mode and end my turn," Larka sighed. The longer the duel dragged out, the more nervous she was getting.

"I summon Twilight Zone Survivor (2300/700) and attack your defense monster," Sarius said.

"You destroyed my Ninja Master-Sasuke…" (1800/1000)

Sarius paused, and then said, "That is all I will do."

"I lay one monster in defense mode and a card face down," Larka stated. "I can do nothing else."

"She's not kidding," Draken said. "Those two cards were the last ones in her hand!"

"Don't worry, she still has the advantage," Sakura assured. "She should be able to win this one."

Sarius gazed at the card he had just drawn, and raised an eyebrow. "Well, well… isn't this interesting? I was hoping this would come up, but I did not expect it so soon. I lay one monster face down and end my turn."

"He didn't attack! But why?" Neo wondered.

"It is likely that he did not want to trigger Larka's face down card," Zack said. Although he seemed nervous about the situation Larka was in, he was trying his best to hide his unease.

"I play Jar of Greed, to draw two cards." Larka looked at both of her cards, and then shook her head. "That is it…"

"Now it is time to see if my strategy pays off," Sarius said. "I activate a magic card, Coins From Heaven! It removes all of the cards on my field and in my hand so that I may draw two cards."

"Wow. That seems pretty horrible to me," Miles commented. "Why would anyone pay such a hefty cost?"

"If I get the right cards, you will find out," Sarius stated. He drew the two cards, and then smirked as he looked at them. "This is exactly what I wanted. Now the true test will begin for you, Larka. I play a magic card, Twilight Fusion!"

"Twilight Fusion? What does that do?" Larka asked worriedly.

"First of all, it costs me 2000 Life Points to activate it."

Larka: 8000

Sarius: 2500

"Then we both special summon as many monsters as we can that were removed from the game," Sarius told her. "I bring out Twilight Zone Observation Machine, Twilight Zone Survivor, Swift Black Ninja, and Wandering Hero, Freed!" (1300/1700) (2300/700) (2200/1700) (2200/1700)

"All I can bring out is Volt Girl and Blade Knight…" (1900/800) (1600/1000)

"…So that's why you two were feeling weird," Draken said to Hope and Will. "You somehow knew he was going to pull off this stunt."

Hope shook her head. "No. It's something else…"

"Hope is correct," Will agreed. "It will come very shortly."

"It is indeed time," Sarius said. "I sacrifice Twilight Zone Survivor, Swift Black Ninja, and Wandering Hero, Freed!"

The three monsters vanished instantly from the field as he removed them from his Duel Disk and placed another card there. Before anyone could ask what was going on, the Child stepped forward, the ball he held glowing. Then it rose out of his hands, going to the center of Sarius' field.

Then Sarius began to speak, but not in English. The words that echoed around the field were causing the light the ball emitted to intensify.

"What is he saying?" Miles whispered, not really expecting an answer from anyone.

But to their surprise, Will started talking as well, his words seeming to match with Sarius' as he recited: "Phoenix of the morning light, reveal thyself unto my sight. From thy shell thou must emerge, with golden light, this world to purge. Seek thee now my wary foe, thy flaming wings to bring them woe. From the ashes thou must rise to bring sweet victory to mine eyes. Grace this field with dawn's pure light, as I call thee forth in my due right..." Will stopped there, leaving Sarius to say the final line alone.

"Sun of God Dragon, Ra!"

Everyone stared in shock as the sphere burst open with a flash that blinded everyone. Then a creature appeared that sent despair through the group.

Glowing in the light of the sun that had just begun to rise was a huge, golden creature. It had two legs and two arms with three claws on each. Its tail was amazingly long, being at least the length of the monster itself. The two wings it had were even bigger, and were in fact larger than the rest of its body. Behind its neck was a ring with symbols marked upon it. Its head seemed like a bird's, with a huge beak full of razor sharp teeth and a blue jewel set on its forehead. Its eyes were blood red, and they were locked on Larka, who was petrified in shock and fear, with Malon cowering behind her, whimpering.

"Impossible! Sarius had Ra, the third god card, this whole time?" Draken said in disbelief.

Hope did not even register his words. Similar to Osiris, she was hearing something.

_My true master… I must return to him. It is my purpose. So where does this sorrow I feel come from? _

Hope stumbled backwards, holding her hands to her forehead as the words faded, leaving a large headache.

"Hope!" Gaston quickly pulled her down to her knees before she could fall over. "What is happening to you? You acted this way when Osiris came too. Please, tell me what's wrong!"

"I… I don't know…" Hope stammered.

"Just hang in there," Max said softly, taking her wrist with his hand. "It will be over soon."

Hope nodded weakly, slightly reassured.

Will watched Ra descend from the sky. "I saw this… it was a vision. That's how I knew something was about to happen."

"Larka…" Zack whispered, his eyes filled with worry. Despite how much stronger he was than normal humans, Osiris had managed to inflict much damage on him when he hadn't even been directly hit. The thought of Larka being in an equally fierce attack was agonizing for him. Fell did not say anything, but his body was completely tense, as though he was barely resisting the urge to run over to her side.

Larka had not moved, her eyes locked with the god's. All of her senses were screaming to run away, as fast as she could, yet she was frozen in place.

"So this is the power he has been wielding," Aya said, looking a bit surprised. Adene couldn't think of a response to that.

"What you saw before was Ra in his Sphere Mode," Sarius explained. "This is his true form. He can only be called upon in the language of Hieratic, which I happen to know. That means he will follow my commands. As for how strong he is… well, his stats are unknown at first. (?) They only take value when Ra is brought to the field. His stats are the three monsters' stats that I sacrificed to bring him out added together. Also, as he is a God Main-Type, Raid increases his stats as well. (7200/4600) Raid can also increase his attack, not only Light and Dark Main-Types. I can also have Ra do this."

The Twilight Zone Observation Machine suddenly turned into golden flames, and entered Ra.

"By sacrificing a monster, its stats are added to Ra's." (8500/6300)

"That is even stronger than Osiris!" Kazel exclaimed.

Sarius began to speak in Hieratic again, and Ra's body glowed as golden flames surrounded it again. It flew up into the sky, and then dived straight at Volt Girl. All she had time to do was let out a terrified meow before Ra slammed into her, causing light and heat to flood the field. Larka staggered away, covering her eyes from the intensity.

When she could finally see the results, it was easy to tell that Volt Girl was long gone. Ra was now behind Sarius, but still staring at her, sending a fresh wave of fear through her.

"That was a technique of his known as God Phoenix," Sarius said. "By paying 1000 Life Points, one of your monsters on the field is instantly destroyed."

Larka: 8000

Sarius: 1500

"Now that you have witnessed his power with your eyes, let us see how your body can handle it!" Sarius stepped backwards, towards Ra. Then, as though Ra was made of water, Sarius entered his body. Ra began to glow once more.

"What happened to him?" Gaston asked in amazement.

To their further shock, Sarius' voice echoed into their minds. _"This is an ability called One Turn Kill. I pay all but one of my Life Points to raise Ra's stats by that amount." _(9999/7799)

Larka: 8000

Sarius: 1

_"Now you shall feel the true power of the gods!" _Ra rose up into the air, and then dive bombed towards Blade Knight.

"Larka! No!" Zack shouted.

Larka would have remained there, trembling, if he hadn't spoken. But his voice brought her back to reality, and without thinking, she flipped over her trap card. "I activate Holy Life Barrier!" She desperately slid her Gilford the Lightning into her Cemetery. As she did so, Malon jumped away from Larka, whining frantically.

_"You cannot stop Ra with a simple trap!" _Sarius said as Ra crashed through the barrier, plowing through the Blade Knight and running into Larka.

Nobody could see through the roaring flames where Larka was, but they did hear her long scream of agony, which tore through them.

By the time it cleared, Ra was back on Sarius' side of the field. Malon had been slightly caught in the blast, and all of his fur was blackened, having been singed from the flames. But everyone was paying more attention to Larka.

Max had had a horrible injury from Obelisk's punch. Brandi had come off even worse trying to stop him from crashing into the tombstones. Zack had been seriously hurt by Osiris, but his metal body had helped him get through the duel with less harm than most would have.

None of these compared to Larka now. Her whole body was burned, the skin torched and blackened. Even her silver hair, which had always seemed so pure, was now colored black from the flames. It was a wonder that her clothes were not burned away, but they too had been blackened. Her Duel Disk and cards were a little better off; at least the Duel Disk still looked as though it could function somewhat, and the cards could be identified as what they were.

It seemed as though she was dead, how still she lay. Malon went to her at once, whimpering as he nosed her arm. She did not respond though.

Fell seemed almost in a state of shock as he stared at Larka. Unlike him, Zack reacted almost immediately. He ran up to her so fast that by the time anyone registered what he was doing, he was already kneeling beside her.

"Larka…" Zack whispered, placing his hand lightly on her neck as despair flooded through him.

Then he thought he felt something. He remained still, hope rising. After a moment, he felt complete relief as he felt her pulse once more.

_"She is not dead, although if you do not help her soon, she might be," _Sarius stated. _"I have won the duel. If you wish to ensure that he survives, act now."_

Zack was about to take out a card when Larka suddenly reached out, grabbing his arm.

"…Z-zack?" Larka managed to say.

"Larka! Please hold on; you'll die unless you're healed!" Zack said.

"N-not yet…" Larka whispered.

"What?"

"I… I have not… l-lost yet…" Larka murmured.

_"Your spirit for fighting on, especially after taking a blow such as that, is admirable. But it is over. You lost 8399 Life Points from having Blade Knight be destroyed. Save your strength," _Sarius said.

"N-no… I can… go on…" Larka weakly raised her other hand, placing it next to her Life Point counter. Zack looked at it, and his eyes widened at what he saw.

It was a one.

Larka: 1

Sarius: 1

"She's right; she still has one Life Point. How is this possible?" Zack asked in disbelief.

Hope thought over what had happened, and exclaimed, "It was the Holy Life Barrier!"

"What do you mean? That didn't do anything!" Miles protested.

"It forced her to discard a card to activate it," Hope explained, her head pounding as she spoke. "Remember what Blade Knight's effect is? If the player has one or less cards in their hand, his attack goes up by 400! So Ra only did 7999 damage to her!"

"Unbelievable," Claire said quietly, which summed up what practically everyone was thinking.

_"How impressive," _Sarius responded. _"I suppose that means the duel is not over yet. If you wish to risk your life in finishing this match, then rise. I will face you once more."_

Larka tried to get up, but almost instantly fell with a soft cry of pain.

"Larka, stop!" Zack begged. "You're going to kill yourself doing this!"

She slowly turned her face towards him, and he saw tears fall from her vivid yellow eyes. "I… got them all… into this. I want to… be able to… finish it. I have been… so useless to them. Now… I have… a chance… to assist them. I don't… want to… waste it. Please, Zack… help me do this…"

There was a moment of silence, and then Zack gently took her right arm and placed it over his shoulders. "All right. If this is what you want… then allow me to be beside you as you do it."

"…Thank… you…" Larka whispered as she shakily stood, leaning against Zack as she did so.

_"In your state, you will not be able to even draw a card," _Sarius commented. _"What is it you hope to do?"_

"…The monster… on my field…" Larka said softly. "Zack… flip it over…"

He did so, and a Saint Magician appeared. (300/400)

_"So now you will search your Cemetery for a magic card and add it to your hand," _Sarius stated.

"Shine Castle…" Larka gasped out. "I need… Shine Castle…"

"Very well." Zack took it from her Cemetery. "Now what?"

Larka looked down at her Soul Monster. "…Malon… please… bring out… the monster I need. The one… that is just as… strong as it… always must be…"

Malon stared up at her for a moment, and then nodded. He sat down and howled, his most lonely and mournful one yet.

A monster appeared, its body seeming to be made out of mirrors.

_"Mimic Illusionist!" _Sarius exclaimed. (?)

"That's it!" Claire said. "Mimic Illusionist copies the stats of a monster on the field! So that must mean that it is at least even with Ra!" (9999/7799)

"…And then… I equip it… with Shine Castle…" Larka said quietly.

Zack inserted the card, and the Mimic Illusionist began to pulse with power. (10699/7799)

"…Attack… Ra…" Larka whispered.

The Mimic Illusionist brought up its hands, and then shot out a stream of golden fire that was identical to Ra's. It hit the god, causing it to roar in agony as it began to fade away.

Despite the fact that pain now blinded her, Larka was satisfied as her grip on Zack loosened, and she began to fall, unconscious as she went through the air.

Larka: 1

Sarius: 0

…

Demon Rue: 8000

Juno: 8000

"Since you are the one who proposed this duel, I will go first," Juno said. "I summon Senju God. (1400/1000) When he is summoned, I may place a ritual monster from my deck into my hand. I do so, and then lay two cards face down. Go."

"Those face down cards do not appeal to me, so I think I will get rid of them," Demon Rue stated. "I play Tempest, destroying both of them."

Juno did not seem concerned with his loss. "They were Reverse Dice and Torture Wheel."

"Then I summon Demon Soldier (1900/1500) and attack Senju God. I also lay one card face down and end my turn," Demon Rue concluded.

Demon Rue: 8000

Juno: 7500

Juno smirked as he saw what he had drawn. "I have drawn a Dark Main-Type, which just so happen to be my own Demon Soldier. This allows me to use Zork's Deck Master ability. By paying 500 Life Points, I destroy one of the monsters on your field. I choose Demon Soldier, of course."

Demon Rue: 8000

Juno: 7000

"Not a bad effect," Demon Rue commented.

Juno did not bother responding to that. "Now I summon Demon Soldier and attack you directly! I'm done."

Demon Rue: 6100

Juno: 7000

"I can't just let you run rampant with that thing," Demon Rue told him. "I summon Mad Dog of Darkness (1900/1400) and activate a magic card, Shrink. It cuts your monster's attack in half. (950/1200) Mad Dog destroys your Demon Soldier, and then I end."

Demon Rue: 6100

Juno: 6050

"Nor may I let you keep that," Juno stated. "I play Enemy Controller, forcing Mad Dog into defense mode. Then I summon Black Warrior Werewolf (1600/1000) and attack. That is all."

"Hm…" Demon Rue considered the cards in his hand. "This could be tricky, but it should work out. I lay a monster face down and activate Seal of Time. This trap forces you to skip your next draw phase. I place a card down and end my turn."

"Those are meager defenses for what I have planned," Juno said. "I summon another Black Warrior Werewolf. (1600/1000) My first one attacks your defense monster!"

"You destroyed The Black Cat That Brings Unhappiness," (500/300) Demon Rue announced. "This means its reverse effect activates. I search my deck for a trap card and place it on top of my deck."

"Fine. My other Black Warrior Werewolf attacks you directly."

Demon Rue: 4500

Juno: 6050

Demon Rue grimaced. "I hate to have to do this… but I summon Kuribo." (300/200)

"…That is beyond pathetic," Juno said in disgust as the cute monster appeared.

"Believe me, I would rather use something else," Demon Rue assured. "In this case, however, it is necessary. I lay a card face down and end my turn."

"It seems you will be finished with your last act of defiance being bringing out a furball," Juno sneered. "I summon Sonic Bird (1400/1000) which has a similar effect to Senju God. The only difference is that I pick a ritual magic card. Now I will use the card I got, Pact with the Dark Master! By sacrificing Sonic Bird and Black Warrior Werewolf to fulfill its requirements of having to have eight levels sacrificed to be brought out, I can special summon Dark Master-Zork!" (2700/1500)

"How interesting," Demon Rue commented. "So that is what your deck is based around. Well, unfortunately for you, I have a plan already laid out that can kill it. It all relies on this trap card that I now activate!"

Kuribo whimpered softly before suddenly exploding. The purple spores remaining from it attached themselves to Zork and Black Warrior Werewolf, which caused them both to fade away.

"What the hell did you do?" Juno growled.

"It is called Deck Destruction Virus of Death, and it is the center of my deck," Demon Rue informed him. "By sacrificing a Dark Main-Type with 1000 attack or less, all of the monsters on your field and in your hand with 1500 attack or more are destroyed. Also, for the next three turns, you must show me what you draw. If it has 1500 or more attack, it is sent to the Cemetery instantly."

_About time you did something right,_ Rue said.

_"You would have been doing even worse," _Demon Rue pointed out. Rue didn't respond to that.

"Damn," Juno muttered. "I can do nothing else…"

"Then allow me to go on the offensive," Demon Rue said. "I play another trap card, Cry of the Living Dead, to bring back my Demon Soldier from the Cemetery in attack mode. Then I summon Skilled Black Magician. (1900/1700) Both attack you directly."

Demon Rue: 4500

Juno: 2250

Demon Rue was about to declare the end of his turn, when a sudden flash of light from the distance distracted them both.

"What was that?" Juno said.

Demon Rue smiled coldly. "What do you know? It seems that the third god card has been played."

_No way! _Rue exclaimed. _Does that mean Sarius had Ra all along? Impossible! Just what have I missed?_

_"I am sure your little friends will be able to catch you up on it." _

"What is that supposed to mean?" Juno demanded.

"You will see soon enough, if you win," Demon Rue shrugged. "It's your turn."

Juno drew, and then smirked as he showed Demon Rue the card he had received. "This is not even a monster. It is actually an equip magic that I plan on using now. So I play Continue the Contract! By paying 800 Life Points, I special summon a ritual monster from my Cemetery and to the field. I choose Zork, of course."

Demon Rue: 4500

Juno: 1450

"This will not end well," Demon Rue said flatly as Zork appeared.

"Zork's effect lets me roll a die once on each of my turns. I will roll one now," Juno stated as the die appeared on the field. It went into the air and then landed, tumbling about, until it stopped on a one.

Juno seemed satisfied with the results. "Not a good roll for you. When I get a one or a two, Zork destroys all monsters on your side of the field. With a three, four, or five, it destroys one of your monsters. If I should be unlucky enough to get a six, it would destroy all of my monsters."

_I'd say that you're screwed,_ Rue commented as Demon Soldier and Skilled Black Magician were destroyed.

_"Shut up." _

"I will command Zork to attack you directly," Juno said. "Then I am done."

Demon Rue: 1800

Juno: 1450

"…I can only lay one monster in defense mode, and then end," Demon Rue sighed.

"I drew Attack Nullification," Juno announced, revealing it. "It makes no difference though. I will roll the die."

This time, it landed on a five. Demon Rue watched as Zork obliterated his monster. "You destroyed my Mask of Darkness."

"Then you are through," Juno said. "Zork attacks directly!"

Demon Rue: 0

Juno: 1450

"It seems I was overconfident and careless," Demon Rue stated. "I will have to rethink some strategies in this deck."

"Enough with your talk," Juno snarled. "We had an agreement. Leave at once."

"No need to doubt my word. I do have enough honor to follow through with the win terms," Demon Rue said, slipping a card into his Duel Disk. "I suppose I will not get to see you again. A pity. I would have wanted a rematch, but it seems that will not happen. So I bid you farewell." He suddenly ran off, moving at a speed beyond human's normal speed.

"Candle of Fate," Juno said to himself, recognizing the card. After a moment of silence, he stated, "He will not tell them of me, but I must get there at once." Recalling Zork into his Soul Card, Juno set off once more.

…

Demon Rue's speed burst wore off just as he came up to the temple. He took the long way around on purpose so that he was behind the temple. He stood at the corner of the structure, where they would have seen him if they had bothered to look. But everyone's attention was on the duelists, one who had just appeared on his side of the field and one who was falling.

_"That is all I can do for now," _Demon Rue stated. _"I am done." _Then he was gone, leaving Rue standing there, looking bewildered.

_What happened here? _he wondered, watching the scene. Although he wanted to tell them that he was here, and warn them of Juno, he knew that he could not. So he remained where he was.

Zack caught Larka as she fell, tenderly laying her on the cloud they stood on. Malon began to whine again as Zack reached for his support cards.

"No need to bother with yours. Use these instead," Sarius said as he came over, holding out a Healing Rain and three Blessing of Gods. "With amplified powers, Healing Rain should take away most of the damage, although you will have to wait a few minutes."

Zack was not sure if this could be trusted, but he knew that none of his cards would work very effectively. So he accepted the cards and placed them into his Duel Disk. The rain began to fall instantly. After a few painstaking moments, the burns that darkened her skin began to recede as her hair started to become its normal silver color. Malon's fur was also becoming its normal brown.

"Why did you want to help her?" Zack asked.

"She won. It is only fair that I do so," Sarius stated.

"I can't believe she managed to pull it off!" Miles said happily as they went over to the area where the rain was falling. "What a way to win!"

"And against a god card, of all things!" Neo agreed.

Amy looked over at Larka in concern. "Those cards are helping, but it's still not enough. Sakura, can you lend a hand?"

"Of course!" Sakura said, going over to Larka and putting her hands on her chest. A warm, red glow started to form around Larka's body, enhancing the Healing Rain's effects even more.

"There goes our chance at getting this Limiter," Aya commented as she, Adene, and the Child joined them.

"It was a fair victory, and one I can respect," Sarius replied. "I have few regrets about losing."

Sakura finally lifted her hands away from Larka, who now looked fully healed. Even her clothes, Duel Disk, and cards were back to normal. A few seconds after the Healing Rain faded away, she opened her eyes. "…Zack?"

"It's all right now," Zack said. "You won, and you're completely healed now. At least, it looks that way. Can you stand?"

"I think so…" She rose slowly, and nodded. "I feel fine…"

"That's a relief," Claire sighed. "We were so worried…"

"Especially Zack. I thought he was going to kill himself again, suicide device implanted or not!" Miles shuddered.

"Zack…" Larka turned to him. "You helped me get through that… and thanks to your assistance, I was able to win. You saved my life."

"It was Sarius that healed you, not me," Zack said guiltily.

"No… I meant before. Your voice brought me to my senses. Thank you…"

Then, without warning, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. After a moment of shock, Zack returned it.

"OH GOD! MY EYES! THE GOGGLES! THEY DO NOTHING!" Miles yelled, running around like a crazed lunatic, ripping off the goggles he had gotten from the card Sonic Bird and throwing them far away.

_I don't blame him, _Rue thought as he kept his eyes covered from the scene.

Will caught up to him and slammed him over the head with his book, dropping him flat on the cloud. "Quit acting like an idiot for once."

After a long moment, Zack and Larka drew away. All Zack could say was, "That was unexpected. I did not think you would be bold enough to do that."

Larka blushed deeply. "Well… you were the one… to confess first… I felt like I should do something in return… was that wrong of me?"

"Yes," Miles muttered as he attempted to get up. Another book slam sent him right back into the cloud.

"No, not at all. I am grateful," Zack said softly.

The silence that followed was broken by Sarius saying, "I can assure you that I am happy for both of you, but I must discuss something before you can continue on."

They turned to him expectantly. Seeing he had their attention, he brought out a card, Ra, and showed it to them. "I assume you still need this?"

"Yes. It's the only god card we don't have yet," Hope said.

"Then here you go." Sarius held it out to Larka.

Her eyes widened in astonishment. "You're giving me Ra? But why? That was not part of the duel conditions…"

Sarius smiled slightly. "I told you before we began that I had something you needed. I planned on using this as a worthy item to put at risk for gaining your Limiter powers. I have lost, so it is now yours."

Larka hesitated, and then looked at the Child, who gazed back at her calmly.

"He will be fine without it," Sarius stated.

The Child nodded. "Hai."

"Thank you," Larka finally said, reaching out. However, before she touched it, she drew her hand back. "But what if it decides I am not worthy of wielding it?"

"Try touching it lightly," Draken suggested.

"Ok…" She put her fingertips on it gently, and then jumped away, holding her hand. "No, it is not for me."

"Then who should attempt it next?" Claire inquired.

Hope was feeling a sudden urge to volunteer herself, but she fought it back down to the best of her ability. She had no idea why she always felt so… greedy, when it came to the god cards, and it ashamed her.

"I advise letting Will try," Kazel said.

"Huh? Why him?" Miles asked as he staggered over, holding his hand to his head. "So he can brutally tame it with his book if needed?"

"…No. He was able to tell what Sarius was saying when he summoned Ra," Kazel reminded them. "That is not an ordinary feat."

Will shrugged. "All right, I'll give it a shot." Then he went up to Sarius and took the card from his hand.

"Well? Is it burning you?" Draken questioned.

"Obviously not, or I would have probably thrown it at Neo," Will said dryly. "It feels fine."

"Did you have to be so cruel about it?" Neo complained.

"After what you did to my kitchen today, yes," Will stated, placing Ra into his Duel Disk for safekeeping.

"Then that is settled. We shall have to move on to try and find the second Limiter," Sarius told his companions.

"Wait!" Larka suddenly said.

"Hm? Is there something else you need?" Sarius inquired.

"…Now that you cannot win these Limiter powers from me, the only one left to try is Juno, right?" Larka asked.

"Yes. If you can defeat him, you will not be bothered with it any more," Sarius stated.

Larka thought for a moment, and then said, "Is there a way for you to take the Limiter powers from a person without them dying?"

"Yes. The method I prefer does not involve killing the Limiter, as I said to you when I was explaining everything to you," Sarius answered. "My method can go one of two ways. If the Limiter is completely willing to give up the power, then I obtain it rather swiftly. It causes no pain whatsoever, which is one reason I prefer it. However, if the Limiter fights against it…" Sarius shook his head. "The pain is unimaginable… hence why it is very important for me to win against the Limiter first, so that they will give up their power freely."

"I see…" Larka paused, and then said, "Can I offer my Limiter powers to you then?"

"Larka! What are you saying?" Miles exclaimed. "The whole reason we fought these lunatics was so that you wouldn't have to give up this power in you! And now you want to just toss it aside?"

"It does seem like an odd thing to do," Perseus agreed.

Larka turned to them. "This whole time, I was fighting more out of fear of the wrong side getting my powers. That… and I did not want to die." Larka looked away from them. "That might seem selfish, but I was truly frightened by it all…"

"We all fear death," Draken said reassuringly.

"Zack," Miles stated.

"Shut up," Draken growled at him before continuing. "I know I for one do, at least. Don't concern yourself over seeing that as such an action."

"Well… look at it this way," Larka said. "These powers are not doing anything for me. They are within me only to prevent things that shouldn't be entering the world from coming in, right? I don't see why I should need to keep it." She hesitated, and then added, "I also do not want to have to face Juno. If he is as bad as you guys say… I am afraid of fighting him as well. I would have fled from this duel when Ra emerged if I had not been too scared to… how would I fare against someone like him? Sarius seems like the best option. Besides, he did give us Ra."

"…Is that what you really want?" Fell asked.

"Yes," Larka replied.

Sarius came up to her. "I suppose there is no reason to argue. I am surprised by your decision, and I cannot say if it was right or wrong on your part. But I will take the Limiter powers if you offer them."

"I do," Larka stated. Then she looked over at Zack, expecting him to protest about this.

Instead, he said, "If this is your choice, I accept it."

Larka smiled brightly in response, which told him that those had been the right words to say. Then she turned to Sarius. "So what am I supposed to do?"

"Just relax, and do not try to resist what I am doing at all," Sarius instructed. "It will be over shortly if you do so." Then he brought his hand up a few inches away from her, over her heart. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Larka answered, her voice firm even though she seemed a bit nervous.

Sarius' eyes narrowed as he began to concentrate. Then a white light came from Larka's heart, flowing into his hand. Unlike the light that Hope had given to Max and Kisara had relinquished to her, this light seemed to ripple, almost as though it were a liquid. It continued to flow into Sarius for a few moments, and then it was over, the last bits of light entering Sarius. Then silence consumed the area.

Rue was vastly relieved. _Juno's missed his chance! Now everything should be ok._

Right as he thought that, Raid suddenly turned, hissing. Everyone followed his gaze at once.

Juno stood there, looking furious. "I was too late… damn it all!" He brought forth his Duel Disk. "It seems there is no point in staying here. My only chance of claiming this world is to find the second Limiter. And that, Tirran, is something I am ahead of you on!"

"Wait!" Sarius protested. It was no use though. Juno pressed a button on his menu and vanished, returning to the real world.

To be continued…


	23. Light's Mission

Here's a chapter I've wanted to write for a long time. On with it!

DarkFictionWizard: Edo's was down, so I couldn't check. Thanks for pointing that out.

Captain Obvious: Ok, even though I've seen stuff like that before, I did not need to hear that last comment… but otherwise, yes, they finally got on with it, and yes, Ra lost horribly. The original plan was to use Solar Ray to defeat Sarius when he had one Life Point left from One Turn Kill, but I wanted to try and destroy Ra with a monster too. I think it worked well.

Demon Fan: That was a reference to Juno that probably only one other person will understand-the one who submitted him to me for this fiction. I might try and describe it later, but I don't see where I can yet.

Epyon: Because it has cinnamon sugar swirls in every bite? …Oh wait.

John: You don't have it? I feel your pain. It took me forever to finally be able to own a Gamecube. I exchanged a GBA game I never opened (Megaman Battle Network 4: Red Sun; I already owned Blue Moon) for it. Quite worth it.

**Chapter 23: Light's ****Mission**

Juno ran through the most deserted streets he could use, not wanting extra attention from civilians. As he did, he kept his focus on where he could feel Light.

His Mavericks had once been merely ordinary humans. Juno had sacrificed some of his own power to give to them, which made them what they were today. Due to this, he had very little difficulty tracking down any of his Mavericks, since he could feel the part of himself within them easily.

For him, Light was like a beacon, and he was headed straight towards her.

…

"…He got away…" Draken said dully as they stared at where he had been.

"Obviously he did!" Rue exclaimed, finally running over to them.

"Rue! Where have you been?" Claire asked as Ruecian looked over him for any signs of injuries.

"It was Demon Rue," Rue stated. "He told me Juno was coming, so I went to stop him. Demon Rue dueled him but lost. Sorry guys…"

"You trusted that creep?" Miles said in disbelief.

"This time, it worked in our favor," Gaston reminded them. "If Juno had not been delayed, he could very well have made it in time to interrupt the duel between Larka and Sarius."

"That is true," Perseus agreed.

"Then I must say thank you," Larka said to Rue.

"No problem. As much as I hate to admit it, Demon Rue did more work than me anyway," Rue confessed.

"So what are we going to do?" Hope asked. "We can't just let Juno find the second Limiter, can we?"

Sarius turned to Aya and Adene. "You two need to stay here. I'm going after him."

"Master Tirran…" Adene began to protest.

"The answer is no," Sarius stated. "Both of you are aware of how strong Juno is. You need to remain here."

Aya was very stubborn when she wanted to be, and she showed it now. "That is precisely the reason why I am going with you! I will be there to help when you face him, like it or not. Arguing with me will only let him get farther ahead of you, so I suggest you accept that."

"…Fine," Sarius sighed. "If you must." Then, seeing Adene was about to say something, Sarius said, "No. You are not coming."

"Go back and tell Mach and Shadow why we are being delayed," Aya ordered. "That will give you something to do while waiting for us to return."

Adene was wise enough to not try arguing with both of them. So he muttered, "Of course, Mistress Aya," and slowly walked away, calling back Bowen as he went.

While this was happening, Kazel went over to Kisara and whispered, "I am going back to the real world. If this chase with Juno is to happen, I must bring Fell and Larka over to South Carolina. I would retrieve Amy, but I doubt she would appreciate flying again. So I will pick up only those two."

Kisara nodded. "All right. Fly safely."

"As always," Kazel smiled, which looked surprisingly natural for a dragon. Then she vanished.

Sarius noticed the disappearance, but did not comment. Instead, he said, "You've gotten the final god card. Now you need to figure out what to do with the three of them."

"What about Juno?" Amy asked.

"I am going after him with Aya and the Child," Sarius stated. "I assume he will be in South Carolina, since I spent most of my time in the real world there. He would think that a place I was in would be most likely to start looking. There is no need to be concerned over it. If we see each other again, I will tell you of how it went." Before anyone could respond, he vanished, Raid following. The Child and Cyrus followed, as did Aya after she called back Sahaqiel.

"That jerk!" Rue complained. "He doesn't want us interfering!"

"We can't just stay here though," Neo said. "What should we do? Juno could be anywhere in the state!"

"And that's assuming that he really is in South Carolina," Darche stated.

"Kazel went to retrieve Fell and Larka in the real world," Kisara said softly. "Until they arrive, we can search."

Miles looked at her doubtfully. "You seriously think we can find him before Sarius does?"

"If Juno is in an area nearby our place, we might find him long before Sarius manages to," Gen said.

"We won't be able to help…" Sakura sighed.

"Kazel will not be going to you due to your fear of flying," Kisara said to Amy.

"Ah. Tell her she has my thanks," Amy replied. "I probably would have declined anyway."

"Then if we're going to make any progress, we'd better get going now," Draken stated. "Where should we start looking?"

"The forest by Max's condo," Will answered at once.

"Eh? Why there?" Miles asked.

"If Will suggested it, that would be the right place to go," Claire said. "Let's trust in his judgment."

Hope nodded. "I second that."

"I think we'll all agree to it as well," Gen stated. "Let us check that location."

"Then it is decided. We'll come to the condo to meet with Hope, Gaston, Max, and Tenma, and then we will go into the forest," Perseus declared.

"See you when we get there," Rue said, exiting. Everyone else left at once, except for Hope, Amy, Zack, Larka, and Fell.

"I'll tell you how it went later," Hope assured her sister.

"Right. Until then," Amy said, leaving with Sakura. Hope and Gaston were gone a second later.

"How do you feel?" Zack asked.

"Perfectly fine. Sarius was not lying when he said it did not hurt," Larka smiled.

"I'm glad to hear that." Zack brought up his Duel Disk menu. "We will see each other shortly, anyway."

"Yes," Larka agreed. Then the three of them were gone.

…

Light made her way through the forest slowly, trying to avoid tree branches that suddenly loomed out of nowhere. She was not sure where this route led to, but after having no luck in the town, she had opted to check here next.

Now she was wondering if that was a good idea. She had no idea just how big this forest was, and for all she knew, it might be days before she saw another human.

Still, she tried to make the best of her situation by continuing to go forward, in hopes of finding something.

After a few more minutes of walking, she suddenly found herself leaving the trees. This was odd though. Why would the forest abruptly cease?

Then, ahead of her, she saw a large house on a slope above her. It was almost like a mansion, although Light was not sure if she could call it one. There was an iron gate that was locked, which was a good enough message for most would-be intruders that this property was off-limits.

It completely puzzled Light that such a house would be here, in the middle of a forest. But before she could wonder much more about it, she saw someone.

Sitting on the front steps of the mansion was a young boy, who was probably no older than six. He wore a short-sleeved navy blue shirt and black pants, with black shoes to accompany it. His black hair fell just down to his shoulders, although now it masked most of his face since he had his head bent over as he looked at something in his hands with obvious concentration.

Light's gasp caused the boy to look up suddenly. His eyes were a deep blue, and filled with childish innocence.

He sprang up instantly, running over to the gate. "Welcome, miss! Did you come to speak with my mother or father? I am sorry, but they are not currently here right now."

Light continued to stare at him, still stunned by what she saw.

But continuing to look at him did not change facts.

"…Miss? Is something wrong?" the boy asked, tilting his head.

_There's no mistake, _Light realized. _This boy is truly the second Limiter! Male, and he feels like the darkness Limiter… he has to be the one. _Light was well aware that Limiters had to be children one time or another, but this was her first time encountering one.

"Er… sorry," Light managed to say, forcing herself to smile cheerfully. "I happened to get a bit lost in this huge forest. Nothing more."

"You are not from around here?" the boy inquired.

"No," Light answered. "It seems this is the only house in the area."

The boy's eyes suddenly seemed saddened as he looked away. "Yes… I always wanted to have some friends, but we live too far away to have contact with anyone." Then he brightened again as he held out his hand towards her. "But I do have some other ways to occupy myself. See?"

Light was again surprised to see that he was holding out a Duel Monster deck. She hadn't been aware that children as young as him would be playing the game.

"Ah, yes… I have a deck as well," Light told him.

"Really? Would you duel with me?" the boy asked excitedly. Then he blushed, looking away. "Oh… sorry, miss. You probably have somewhere to be…"

"No, no, it's fine," Light assured. "I would be happy to play against you. But do you have a Duel Disk?"

The boy shook his head. "I can't get one until I'm thirteen… but I can borrow my father's! I don't think he would mind."

"If you go get it, we can duel right now," Light offered, lifting her arm to show him her own Duel Disk.

"Ok!" the boy said, eagerly running back to the house.

Light smiled to herself again at seeing how eager the boy was. That smile vanished as she remembered how he had looked before though. He had seemed very lonely, which probably explained just why he wanted to play with anyone, even a complete stranger.

He was back rather quickly, and shut the door to the mansion before running back over to the gate, this time holding a Duel Disk. "Do you mind if we do this outside? I'm afraid my parents would not appreciate it if I brought in someone who was uninvited."

"I would actually prefer that," Light replied, stepping away from the gate. The boy unlatched it and shut it again, being careful not to accidentally lock himself out. Then he attached the Duel Disk and slid his deck into it.

"Have you ever played with a Duel Disk before?" Light asked, seeing that it looked a bit large for him.

"No, but I've seen my father do it plenty of times," the boy replied.

"That's good. So, what is your name? I would like to know it, if you do not mind," Light requested.

"Julian," he answered.

"That's a nice name," Light said, smiling at him. She was good at dealing with kids, and she knew that a cheerful personality would always help when speaking to them. It seemed to especially have a good effect on Julian; he seemed to trust her already.

It was still risky, but Light knew she had to try. So she said, "Julian, do you mind if we place a condition on this duel?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Julian asked, looking confused.

"I have been searching for something for some time now," Light explained. "It turns out that you have that thing inside of you."

"Inside of me?" Julian looked at himself, then back up, seeming bewildered.

"It's something special that many people want, including the person I serve," Light said. "Yet despite how important it is to most of us, it does not do anything for you."

"I don't know about anything like that," Julian replied, looking nervous.

"Don't worry," Light reassured him. "It does nothing for you. I am just concerned that later on, it might become a problem for you if other people try to steal it from you."

"What should I do?" Julian asked.

"All you need to do is stake this thing I need in a duel," Light said. "If I win, you will let me remove it from you. It is a completely painless process, as long as you agree to it. But if you win, I will let you select any card from my deck that you want, and you may keep it."

Julian's eyes widened. "Do you mean that?"

Light nodded. "Completely. I will not go back on my word."

For a moment, Julian considered the option. Then he said, "I'll accept!"

Light smiled again. "Thank you. That is a great help to me."

"I'm happy I can assist, miss, especially since you've been so nice!" Julian said.

"You can call me Light," Light offered.

"Ok, Miss Light," Julian responded. "Are you ready?"

"Whenever you are," Light replied.

Julian: 8000

Light: 8000

"To decide who goes first, do you want to flip a coin?" Julian suggested, taking out a quarter.

"Sure. I'll call heads," Light said.

Julian flipped it, and then held out the back of his hand. It nearly reached the back of his hand when he slapped down the other one, trapping it. Light had seen people catch coins and slap them onto the backs of their hands, but this new method looked a bit trickier to her.

"It is heads." Instead of putting the quarter away, Julian placed it on an empty space on his Duel Disk.

"Then I get the first move. I lay one card face down and end my turn," Light stated.

Julian looked at the field curiously. It seemed like a poor play, but it was possible that she was baiting him to attack so that she could activate her trap card. So he said, "I activate Hurricane! This sends all magic and trap cards on the field to their respective player's hand. Then I summon Landmine Spider!" (2200/100)

Light did not seem disturbed in the slightest by the huge spider that appeared. "Are you going to attack?"

"Yes. But there's a catch to my Landmine Spider. Every time it attacks you, I have to first flip a coin. If I call it correctly, the attack goes through normally. If not, you are still attacked, but I also lose half of my Life Points."

"That seems awfully risky," Light commented.

"I don't mind gambling," Julian answered. "It's one of the only things that interests me when I have to stay here. Anyway, I call heads." He caught the coin the same way he had before, and glanced at it. "It's heads."

The Landmine Spider wrapped its legs around Light, squeezing her tightly with the sharp tips of its legs digging into her.

Julian: 8000

Light: 5800

"I end my turn," Julian said as the Landmine Spider returned to his field.

"I will lay down this card again, and activate a magic card, Earth Crusher," Light announced. "It destroys the monster on your field with the highest defense. Since Landmine Spider is your only monster, it is the one who is destroyed. That is all."

Julian looked unconcerned about losing his monster. "I summon Outburst Bull Oni." (1200/1200)

Light blinked a few times as the vivid red bull appeared, snorting at her. "Do you attack with it?"

"Not yet," Julian said. "I need to play this permanent magic card first. It's called Second Chance. Once per turn, I can negate a coin flip and try flipping it again. Now I'll activate Oni's effect! Once per turn, on my main phase, I flip a coin and call it. If I'm correct, you lose 1000 Life Points, but I lose 1000 Life Points if I'm wrong. I call heads." Julian looked at the coin. "I got tails, so I will use Second Chance to redo that toss." He shook his head as he saw what it had landed on this time. "Tails again… I'm usually luckier than that. I'll attack you with Oni."

Light was not sure which attack was more painful; although she lost less Life Points from Oni, it still was not pleasant to have a huge red bull charging you down.

Julian: 7000

Light: 4600

"I lay one card down and end my turn," Julian said.

Light examined her hand. "Finally, I can actually do something. First, I play Jar of Greed to draw two cards. I lay one card down, and then activate my permanent trap card, Pyramid of Light!"

"What does it do?" Julian asked.

"It has an effect that I will get to shortly. The main use of it is so that I can special summon two monsters with their effects. Both of them require having a Pyramid of Light on the field so that they can be special summoned by paying 500 Life Points. I pay 1000 Life Points to bring out both Andro Sphinx and Sphinx Teeleia!" (3000/2500) (2500/3000)

Julian was amazed by the two powerful monsters that appeared before him, especially since he had rarely seen any monsters that strong. Andro Sphinx looked like a dark-furred lion with blue armor and a yellow mane that had the structure of a human. Sphinx Teeleia had gray fur, stood on all four legs, and had a tail, making her look much more lion-like. She had two small wings with yellow feathers that matched the fur on the tip of the tail. Her pink hair seemed almost like a mane, but not quite. Around one paw was a shackle, its chain broken. The iron collar also bore a chain, its end broken once again.

Light laughed at the look on Julian's face. "If you think that is impressive, just wait until you see what I am going to do next. I play a magic card, Griffin's Feather Sweep! It destroys all of my magic and trap cards, and gives me 500 Life Points for each one I destroy. I lose both Pyramid of Light and Monster Gate."

"Why would you want to do that?" Julian inquired.

"When my Pyramid of Light is sent to the Cemetery, my two Sphinxes are destroyed, and then removed from the game. But this allows me to pay 500 Life Points to special summon another monster from my deck, called Sphinx Androgynous!" (3500/3000)

This monster was even more astonishing. Its body was Teeleia's, with much bigger wings, but it had the upper torso, arms, and head of Andro. It smirked, showing its fangs quite clearly to Julian, who was watching it in awe.

"Now I activate his effect," Light declared. "By paying 500 more Life Points, I can raise his attack by 3000 on the turn he was special summoned. (6500/3000) Now he destroys Oni!"

The Sphinx Androgynous went up to the bull and grabbed it. Then, without any warning, he devoured the bull, horns and all.

Julian: 2700

Light: 3600

"I place one card down and end my turn," Light finished.

Julian seemed a bit sickened by the way his monster had been destroyed, but was not even close to giving up. "I activate my permanent trap card, Needle Wall! On each of my standby phases, I roll a die. Your monster zones are numbered one through five. If there is a monster on the zone number that the die lands on, that monster is destroyed. If it is a six, I roll again. Your Sphinx is on zone one. So let's see what I get…"

The large die landed, bouncing around the field before ending with a one for both of them to see.

"All right! Your Sphinx is destroyed. Now I summon Whimsical Goddess!" (950/700)

Light stared at the woman in front of her, who had on a rather revealing dress. "Your parents know that you play this game?"

"Yeah. Dad says it's a fun game and that I'm getting good at it," Julian replied. "He told me to always hide this card when mom came by though. I don't know why… do you?"

"…That is something I will leave to your parents," Light said. "So what does Whimsical Goddess do?"

"I flip a coin for her. If it lands on heads, her attack is doubled for the rest of the turn, but tails will split her attack in half for this turn." Julian tossed the coin into the air, catching it in his odd manner. "It's tails. I'll use Second Chance to try again." This time, he smiled as he saw the coin. "Heads! Her attack doubles. (1900/700) She attacks directly!"

Julian: 2700

Light: 1700

"I lay one card down. That's all," Julian concluded.

Light revealed her face down card. "I will activate another Pyramid of Light. Then I pay 1000 Life Points to bring out Andro Sphinx and Sphinx Teeleia again."

Julian: 2700

Light: 700

"Andro Sphinx attacks your Whimsical Goddess!"

"Let's see if he can even find them!" Julian said. "I activate my trap card, Magical Silk Hat!" At once, three black hats with a yellow question mark on each appeared, one covering Whimsical Goddess. Then they shuffled around, too fast for the eye to follow, and abruptly halted. The Andro Sphinx paused in front of them, confused.

"Two of those hats have a magic or trap card inside them that I chose from my deck," Julian explained. "Basically, they are there to be fodder. It you attack my Whimsical Goddess, she will be destroyed. Want to give it a go, Miss Light?"

"I don't see why not," Light replied. "I attack the hat to your right with Andro Sphinx!"

The Andro Sphinx devoured the hat, exposing a magic card that shattered.

"That was another Second Chance," Julian said.

"Then I will attack the hat that was in the center with Sphinx Teeleia!" Light decided.

After the Sphinx Teeleia ate away the hat, a trap card was revealed before it too broke apart.

Julian smiled in relief. "That one was Reverse Dice. My Whimsical Goddess remained safe." As he said that, the last hat vanished, revealing a defense mode card.

Light showed him her hand, which had no cards in it. "I cannot do anything else."

"I roll a die for Needle Wall…" It landed on five, showing that it had failed. Julian glanced at the card he had drawn, and summoned it to the field. "I'm going to take one of the greatest risks I have attempted in a while. But I don't mind; it is worth it to try something like this against an opponent such as you, Miss Light. I summon Sand Gambler!" (300/1600)

"I assume he has an effect?" Light said as the man appeared in a relaxed stance, holding a coin in his hand.

"Yes. I flip three coins. If all three are heads, all of your monsters are destroyed. If all three are tails, all of mine are destroyed instead," Julian explained.

"Three heads in a row? That will not be easily done," Light stated.

"No, but I have to try something!" Julian brought up the quarter and began to flip it. "Heads… heads… darn, tails! I'm going to activate Second Chance. Unfortunately, this makes me redo all three coin flips. Still, a small chance is better than none. Heads… heads… and heads!" Julian said triumphantly. The Sand Gambler began to glow blue, as did the two Sphinxes. Then they suddenly vanished.

"That was very lucky," Light said. "The problem with your strategy is that you destroyed both of my Sphinxes at the same time. Now I can pay 500 Life Points to special summon another Sphinx Androgynous!"

Julian: 2700

Light: 200

"You don't seem to mind taking risks yourself," Julian smiled.

"When I have no other choice, I don't mind," Light agreed. "Do you do anything else?"

"I lay one card down and end my turn," Julian said.

"I activate Griffin's Feather Sweep again, to destroy Pyramid of Light and gain 500 more Life Points," Light stated. After a pause, she said, "I'm done."

Julian: 2700

Light: 700

"You won't be able to win if you don't do anything, Miss Light," Julian informed her. "Needle Wall will eventually destroy your Sphinx if nothing else." The die landed on a two this time. "I pass."

Light found it odd that he had not switched Sand Gambler to defense mode, but decided to take the chance anyway. "I attack your Sand Gambler with Sphinx Androgynous!"

"I activate my trap card, Monster Box!" Julian declared. "I flip a coin and call it. If I'm correct, your monster's attack power becomes zero. If I'm wrong, the attack goes through without a problem. I call heads!" Julian flipped the coin into the air, and caught it. "…Tails… but I will use Second Chance to try again!" Once more, the coin landed on the back of his hand. Realizing that this would be the difference between victory and defeat for him, Julian quickly glanced at the quarter, not wanting to draw out the suspension.

"Heads!" he said, immensely relieved. The Sphinx Androgynous attempted to devour the Sand Gambler, but he calmly sidestepped the jaws, flipping a coin straight at the Sphinx's forehead as he went. The coin pierced straight through it, causing the Sphinx to roar in pain before vanishing.

Julian: 2700

Light: 400

"So now you have the advantage," Light stated. "I still have something that I can defend myself with, however. I remove my Andro Sphinx and Sphinx Teeleia to special summon Holy Shine Soul!" (2000/1800)

Despite how strong the Sphinxes had been, Julian found himself far more captivated by this new monster. She was a being that was made of light, her body shimmering in and out of focus in the daylight. On her back were two large, feathered angel wings, and over her head was a halo. Her hair, the same color as the rest of her body, went down to about her shoulders. Her eyes were closed at first, but then she opened them, revealing them to be a pure sky-blue color. Then they faded into light too, leaving her constantly fading in and out.

Light noticed that Julian seemed very interested in this new monster, but did not comment. Instead, she simply said, "The only way I could bring her onto the field was to remove two Light Main-Types. It is your turn."

"Oh… right. I roll for Needle Wall," Julian said as the die dropped onto the ground. It landed on a six, so it was redone, this time landing on a five.

"Then I only have one choice," Julian stated. "I sacrifice Sand Gambler and Whimsical Goddess for Revolver Dragon!" (2600/2200)

The machine appeared instantly, raising its three guns to line up with the Holy Shine Soul.

Julian looked at the Holy Shine Soul guiltily, and then said, "I will activate Revolver Dragon's effect! I flip three coins, and if two or more are heads, one monster on your field is destroyed!" He tossed the coin into the air, catching it as he always did. "Tails, heads, and heads!"

The Revolver Dragon instantly released a barrage of shots. The Holy Shine Soul smiled softly before she was hit, leaving nothing behind.

"…Then Revolver Dragon attacks directly!" Julian said.

Julian: 2700

Light: 0

"I am very impressed by how well you duel," Light told him as she shut down her Duel Disk.

"Thank you," Julian said, looking even happier than he had before, if that was possible, as he took off his own Duel Disk.

"Now, for my end of the deal…" Light went over to him and handed him her deck. "Take out whichever card you want."

"Is that really ok with you?" Julian asked.

"I was the one who wagered it, so I must pay up," Light smiled. "Go ahead."

"Thanks!" Julian quickly looked through the deck, passing most cards by instantly. Once he had gone through the entire thing once, he took out the Holy Shine Soul, showing it to her. "This is my choice."

Despite his interest in the card before, it still surprised Light that he had chosen that card. "Why her? She did not prevent me from losing the game."

Julian looked at the card, and then back up at her, blushing slightly. "Miss Light, I know exactly three people. One is my mother, and one is my father. You are the third person I have met. Even though you didn't know me, you still stayed here long enough to play." He glanced away. "That may not seem like much… but it means a lot to me. That's why I wanted this card. She reminds me of you…" He forced himself to look back up at her. "I know you probably have somewhere else you need to go now, but you did show concern about me. I can't help but see you as an angel too."

Light was not sure how to respond to that. Before she could think of a response, however, she heard a voice bark out, "Light!"

She turned to see Juno step out of the forest, looking highly irritated. Seeing his expression, Light knew that this would not end well.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Juno growled, walking over to her. He glanced down at Julian, who seemed to be petrified by Juno's appearance, but turned back almost instantly to Light. "You were playing games with a child? I had specific orders for you, Light! You should not have wasted time doing things such as this!"

"Forgive me, Lord Juno," Light said softly. "However…" Her eyes darted back down to Julian.

Juno followed her gaze. Now that he was actually paying closer attention to the boy, he realized at once why Light had remained here.

Without warning, Juno drew his sword. "So this is the second Limiter! I did not expect it to be a child, but all the better. I won't have to face anymore annoying interferences. Light, stand aside."

Light regretfully backed away, knowing that she had to follow Juno's orders. She did not approve of killing like this, especially for a child, but she certainly couldn't argue against him.

Julian was completely confused by all this. Apparently, this was one of the people Light spoke of that wanted whatever it was he had. But she had called him Lord Juno; did that mean this was the person she served that she had spoken of? He couldn't imagine why she would be working for such a person. Was it by free will, or did she have no choice? Things had always been simple enough to sort out between right and wrong in his mind, but now he found himself completely bewildered.

There were only two things that he knew for sure. One was that Light did not wish for him to die. Despite the fact that she was not doing anything to prevent this man from attacking him, he knew somehow that her intentions were not bad ones. She was someone he still felt he could trust, even if these new actions seemed to make it look as though he shouldn't.

The other fact he was sure on was that this new man wanted him dead. And he knew there was nothing he could do to stop it. Shaking in fear, he could only watch as Juno came forward, raising his sword.

He suddenly halted, glancing up, and then jumped aside as a black blur crashed into where he had been standing. Fell leapt away from where he had landed, eyeing Juno cautiously.

Kazel landed a short distance away as Larka got off, running over to Julian at once. "Are you all right?"

"…Y-yes," Julian stammered.

_We got here just in time,_ Larka thought in relief. They had been flying back towards the condo after Kazel had picked them up, but she had seen some interesting activity going on below. Once they realized it was Juno trying to attack someone, they had decided to help at once.

_But why would Juno attack this boy? _Larka wondered as she looked at him. _I did not think he would randomly strike out at anyone like this, let alone a child! He must be even more furious than I could have imagined…_

Juno pointed his sword at Fell. "It was foolish of you to interfere. Your speed will not assist you against me." Before Fell could react, he lunged forward.

Fell would have been run through on the spot, but a clang of metal said otherwise. Juno stumbled back but got back his footing in an instant.

Sarius brought up his Shibien to be ready to block again if necessary. "Will you be so confident when facing me?"

"Damn it… I knew you would manage to show up somehow," Juno snarled.

"Then you should be ready to fight back," Sarius stated. He glanced over at where Raid had landed. Aya and the Child were dismounting. Then he glanced at where Larka and Julian stood, and was surprised at what he saw, even if it did not show on his face.

"You found the second Limiter before me," Sarius commented. "I did not expect that to happen."

"Even I get lucky at times," Juno retorted.

_What?_ Larka thought in shock. _This boy is the second Limiter?_

Julian wanted to know what a Limiter was, but given the present situation, he was too frightened to even try to ask.

Suddenly, Tenma ran into the clearing, everyone else following him. Tenma drew back, snarling at Juno, which was the scent he had traced here.

"W-we… finally… made… it…" Rue gasped, trying to catch his breath from the run.

"N-no kidding…" Miles groaned, also feeling as though he was about to collapse at any second.

Will was looking around the clearing. "I saw something happening here…"

"Another vision?" Draken asked.

"Yes…" Will indicated to Juno and Julian. "I saw that Juno was about to kill that boy."

"But why?" Gen wondered, which summed up what everyone else wanted to inquire.

To be continued…


	24. Final Confrontation… For Now

I have good news. Besides just saving fifteen percent on my car insurance by switching to Geico, I have a new computer! So my virus computer, the dreaded Dell with Windows ME, is now gone. I still have a Dell, but it has Windows XP. Score! Now I can finally finish this arc!

Captain Obvious: I'm betting that the British will suddenly arrive and gun down both Sarius and Juno… ok, maybe not.

John: You know, I've never done a three way duel. That'd be interesting…

Demon Fan: Light actually has a Deck Master, but she did not use it out of wanting to be fair.

Erestor Telemnar: Heh, nice to see you again too. I am sad about Fell leaving as well, but that's the way it goes.

Epyon: You be quiet, Mr. I Hide In Plain View. Go practice your dice rolls.

**Chapter 24: Final Confrontation… For Now**

The group did not know what was going on, but Sarius and Juno did not exactly look like they were about to fill them in. So they went over to Larka, cautiously watching the two Emissaries facing each other. She was kneeling beside Julian, who still seemed petrified, and Fell, who was focused on the scene.

"Larka, what's going on?" Hope asked as they arrived next to her.

"Juno attempted to kill him," Larka said, nodding to Julian. "It appears that he is the second Limiter."

"No way!" Rue exclaimed. The others seemed to be pretty disbelieving too.

"That's what Sarius and Juno believe, and they know better than we do," Larka reminded them. "There isn't much we can do but watch and see what happens."

"Yeah," Miles agreed. "Sarius has the best chance of taking down Juno. Let's hope he can pull it off."

Malon sniffed Julian cautiously, and then began to whine. Noticing the puppy's actions, Zack asked, "How is the boy himself?"

"Shaken but unharmed, from what I can tell," Larka answered. She turned back to Julian. "It will be all right. Just trust us, please."

"...O-ok..." Julian said shakily, stepping a bit closer to Larka. Out of all of the new people that had arrived, she seemed the safest to him.

Seeing that he was trembling, Larka put an arm around his shoulders. "Don't worry. We'll make sure you get through this safely."

Julian nodded slightly, feeling somewhat better from how calm Larka was acting.

Sarius was gazing at Juno. "What way do you wish to go about doing this?"

"The old fashioned one," Juno replied. He glanced over at his Maverick. "Light, go back to the lake. Bolt, Flame, and Gale are waiting there. Tell them I will return shortly."

"Yes, Master Juno." Light backed away slowly. At the edge of the trees, she gave one last smile to Julian before she went into them, vanishing within the forest.

Julian had smiled back faintly, and was content with the knowledge that Light had seen it. He got the feeling they would probably never meet again. That saddened him, but the knowledge that he still had her card helped ease some of the pain of the farewell.

Sarius and Aya watched Light leave but did not react. There was an unsaid rule that they did not try to harm Light as long as she was not fighting against them. Light was one of the more agreeable members in the Mavericks for Sarius' group to deal with, and she had never given them a reason to want to try and hurt her. It was easier for them to let her be.

When Light was gone, Juno brought out his sword and immediately lunged at Sarius. In response, Sarius parried with the Shibien, and tried to strike Juno. However, Juno easily dodged the blow, and responded with his own. Sarius sidestepped, barely avoiding him, and struck again. This time, Juno brought down his sword onto the Shibien in a block. Sarius and Juno remained in that position, struggling to overpower each other.

Sarius was the one who at last had to give in, jumping back towards the group. He turned to the Child. "I cannot win in my condition. A power boost is necessary."

The Child gazed up into his eyes, and nodded. "Hai, Tirran-sama." Then the Child turned to the group, and smiled softly. "Sayonara, minna."

"What did he just say?" Gen asked Will, who seemed disturbed by what the Child had just said.

"It means goodbye, usually for a long time," Will replied.

"Why would he say that?" Claire wondered.

She got her answer when the Child suddenly began to glow white. He turned into what seemed to be a liquid light, and began flowing to Sarius.

At the same time, Cyrus became the same substance and went into Raid. He hissed while the light was absorbed.

As the liquid light from the Child gathered onto Sarius' back, they saw a large wing form on the left side of Sarius. For the briefest instant, they also saw a dark wing on his right.

The light flashed once, burning their eyes. While it did, they heard Sarius whisper, "Join with me once more… Thomas…"

When they looked up, the wings were gone. But Sarius looked much stronger. He stood up straighter and had his sword in front of him with a more confident expression.

Juno did not seem surprised by what had just happened, but was more on guard. After Sarius and Juno stared at each other for a moment, they sprung into action at the same time. Their swords clashed, sparks flying everywhere. This time, they did not try to overpower each other with one attack. They continuously struck at each other, the metal ringing whenever they connected.

"…Did you guys just see what I thought I saw?" Rue said in disbelief.

"If you saw the Child become a wing on Sarius' back to accompany another one, then yes, we did," Draken answered.

Julian was watching the battle with wide eyes, now clinging onto Larka's arm. As the two continued to exchange blows, Julian whispered, "He's an angel…"

"An angel? Impossible!" Miles exclaimed.

"Yeah, they don't exist. Neither does Satan, right?" Neo said sarcastically.

"…Shut up," Miles muttered.

"You know you just got owned horribly when Neo of all people does it," Rue snickered.

Miles glared at him. "You're lucky this battle is taking up all of our attention, or your body would be a mass of pain."

Larka spoke to Julian as Rue and Miles argued. "You have a good point. Sarius certainly looked like one for a second."

"Sarius?" Julian glanced at Sarius and Juno as their swords hit each other again.

"The one with the wings is Sarius. The other is Juno," Larka explained to him. After a moment, she added, "Sarius is trying to help you."

"But why?" Julian asked nervously. "Have I done something wrong?"

"No, nothing!" Larka assured. "Sarius and Juno want something that you have inside of you. It is very important to both of them. Sarius wants to take it from you, but in a method that will not harm you. Juno wants you to die, so Sarius is trying to defend you."

"Are you sure it was ok to tell him all of that?" Miles asked, coming out of his fight with Rue. "He's just a kid; it might be hard for him to handle."

"It would be worse if he was left in the dark," Larka told him. "He's part of this now, so we might as well explain what is happening." She turned back to Julian. "You never gave us your name, did you?"

"Julian," he said softly, looking down.

Larka tried to make him feel more at ease by smiling at him. "I'm Larka. If we have time, I'll introduce you to everyone else later."

"Do not mind what Miles said," Zack said, coming next to them. "He is only trying to think in your best interests, although he is probably going about the wrong way of doing it."

"Yeah, put down everything I say, Zack," Mile sighed.

A roar caused them all to look up. Raid was combating Zork as well, sending dark and light blasts to counter Zork's black magic.

"This is a little extreme, don't you think?" Gaston commented as they watched Sarius and Juno brutally crash into each other.

Nobody responded as they watched the battle continue. It seemed to last for a long, long time; yet in reality, it was a mere few minutes when Sarius and Juno landed on their opposite sides of the field.

"Another draw," Sarius stated as Raid descended next to him. "We have no choice but to duel now."

Juno regretfully sheathed his sword. "If that is the only way about it." Zork came to his side as well.

Sarius put his Shibien away before turning on his Duel Disk. "The final fight for this world, then. You are aware that it will probably end as they all do, right?"

"I know that it's likely that I will lose!" Juno snarled. "But I'll take you down with me, Tirran!"

"We will see," was all Sarius said as he drew his cards. Juno did the same.

Aya was also watching them. _It is impossible for Juno to be the winner. He knows this too. Nevertheless, he will fight Sarius, and continue to do so, never stopping… how irritating it gets._

Sarius: 8000

Juno: 8000

Sarius thought for a moment, and then looked over at the group. "Does anyone have a method of deciding who goes first?"

Julian wordlessly picked up his quarter and threw it to Sarius.

"Thanks," Sarius said, catching it. "Juno, call heads or tails."

Juno watched impatiently as Sarius flipped the coin into the air. "Heads."

The coin landed on Sarius' palm. "It's tails. I'll go first," Sarius announced. He tossed the coin back to Julian without looking back. He was accurate though; the coin went right into Julian's hand.

"I summon Twilight Zone Survivor," (2300/700) Sarius said. "I assume I do not need to explain Raid's Deck Master ability again?"

"He increases the stats of all your Light and Dark Main-Types by 500?" Juno asked.

"Right. It seems you remember our last duel well enough," Sarius commented. "I lay a card face down and end my turn."

"I summon Sonic Bird. (1400/1000) Using his effect, I find a ritual in my deck and place it into my hand. That is it," Juno said.

Despite the fact that Juno only had a monster on his field, Sarius was not about to let his guard down. Juno would not have left himself that vulnerable unless there was a good reason for it. Still, this was an opportunity he was not about to pass up.

"I summon Twilight Zone Female Warrior. (2000/2100) Twilight Zone Survivor attacks Sonic Bird, and Twilight Zone Female Warrior attacks you directly. I'm done," Sarius said.

Sarius: 8000

Juno: 5100

Juno indicated to Twilight Zone Female Warrior. "She has an effect, correct?"

"When in battle, I can choose to remove her and the monster she engaged with," Sarius explained. "Why?"

"Because it sounds like a good effect to have on my side," Juno smirked. "I use Brain Control. By paying 800 Life Points, your Twilight Zone Female Warrior is under my control for the rest of the turn. (1500/1600) I summon Demon Soldier (1900/1500) and attack your Twilight Zone Survivor with your Female Warrior! Using her effect, I remove both, allowing me to directly attack you with Demon Soldier! I lay one card down and end my turn."

Sarius: 6100

Juno: 3500

"That was a good play, but you made two major errors," Sarius told Juno.

"Oh? What would those be?" Juno inquired.

"One is that you lost a large amount of Life Points for it. Another is that you did not ask about my Twilight Zone Survivor's effect," Sarius stated. As he said that, the Twilight Zone Survivor suddenly appeared on Sarius' field.

"How is that possible? I ordered that it be removed!" Juno said.

Sarius grinned. "That is where my Survivor's special effect kicks in. When he is removed from being face up on the field, he is special summoned to my field on the end phase. Now, I summon White Ninja. (2000/1300) Then Twilight Zone Survivor attacks Demon Soldier."

"I use Curse of Darkness on your Twilight Zone Survivor," Juno stated. "This stops him from attacking or changing positions, and lowers his attack by 700." (1600/700)

"All right, you can do that," Sarius shrugged. "I attack your Demon Soldier with White Ninja. Then I lay one card face down and end my turn."

Sarius: 6100

Juno: 3400

"Sarius has a good lead on him!" Rue said.

"True, but we all know just how quickly that can turn around," Darche replied.

"Must somebody always bring that up?" Miles complained.

"You know, practically every duel we watch, someone comments on the large lead the one we're cheering on has, and somebody else says it isn't over yet. Then the enemy gets a comeback on them very shortly afterwards. Do we jinx people when we say that?" Gaston wondered.

"I summon Senju God, (1400/1000) which allows me to use his effect. I search my deck for a ritual monster and add it to my hand. Now I activate Pact With the Dark Master!" Juno said with a cold smile. "By sacrificing Senju God and Mad Dog of Darkness from my hand to pay for the cost of the ritual, I special summon Dark Master: Zork! (2700/1500) Then I activate his effect. I roll a six sided die. If it lands on a one or two, all of your monsters are destroyed. If the result is a three, four, or five, you lose one monster. If I am unlucky enough to get a six, all of my monsters are destroyed."

The die appeared above the field, and then was dropped. After it rolled around for a few seconds, it landed on…

"A one," Juno said as the White Ninja and Twilight Zone Survivor were destroyed. "Zork attacks you directly."

Sarius: 3400

Juno: 3400

"…Will, would you please smack Gaston over the head with your book?" Miles requested.

"Sorry, but I do not want my book to fall apart when it hits his helmet," Will stated.

Gaston looked away sheepishly. "Sorry. But look on the bright side. Usually after that happens, the person we want to win makes a comeback of their own."

Julian once more had a tight grip around Larka's arm. "I know of that monster…"

"You do?" Larka asked.

"I once considered using him in my deck… but he made me too nervous to try," Julian shivered. "There is something wrong with him…"

Sarius did not seem concerned with the brutal attack he had just taken. "I remove White Ninja and Twilight Zone Survivor from my Cemetery for Chaos Sorcerer. (2800/2500) I use his effect to remove Zork from the game. Since I cannot attack after using that effect, I am done."

"I still want to hit you," Miles muttered at Gaston, who seemed relieved by the turn of events.

"I play Jar of Greed to draw two cards," Juno said. "Then I lay one monster in defense mode. That is it."

Sarius eyed the monster warily. "I lay a card face down and end my turn."

Juno looked at the card he had just drawn and sneered. "You know what my Deck Master ability is too, I take it?"

"Yes. When you draw a Dark Main-Type monster, you can pay 500 Life Points to destroy a monster on the field, regardless of position," Sarius stated. "Is that what you are going to do now?"

"Correct. I just drew another Dark Master: Zork," Juno said, showing him it. "So I will pay 500 Life Points to destroy Chaos Sorcerer."

Sarius: 3400

Juno: 2900

"Then I summon Manju God. (1400/1000) I can choose to search for either a ritual monster or a ritual magic. I will pick a ritual magic. Then I activate it, a second Pact With the Dark Master! I sacrifice Manju God and a Demon Soldier from my hand to special summon Zork! Then he attacks!"

"With that attack, I activate two of my trap cards," Sarius said. "The first one is Wicked Barrier-Dark Force. It removes any monsters that you have in defense mode from the game."

Juno removed the one defense monster he had. "I lose my Cyber Pod. (900/900) That is not very threatening for me at this point."

"The second trap I use will make you wish that you still had it," Sarius told him. "It is Holy Barrier-Mirror Force. That destroys all monsters in attack mode."

"Damn!" Juno swore. "I end my turn…"

"Luckily for you, there is not much that I can do," Sarius informed him. "I activate Angel's Gift, drawing three and discarding two. I'll get rid of Black Warrior Werewolf and Turner of the Dead: Kaiku. Then I lay a monster in defense mode, finishing my move."

"I lay one card face down and end my turn," Juno stated.

"I do not have much else to do besides lay another monster in defense mode," Sarius said.

"Let's see if you will attack if I bait you," Juno smirked. "I summon Mad Dog of Darkness. (1900/1400) That is all."

Sarius hesitated, and then said, "I summon Swift Black Ninja. (2200/1700) He attacks Mad Dog of Darkness."

"Then I will activate my own Wicked Barrier-Dark Force!" Juno announced. "That will remove your two face down monsters."

"My second White Ninja and a Saint Magician are removed," Sarius stated. "But my Swift Black Ninja's attack still goes through. I end my turn after that."

Sarius: 3400

Juno: 2600

"I activate an equip magic card, Continue the Contract! By paying 800 Life Points, I special summon Zork from my Cemetery," Juno said.

Sarius: 3400

Juno: 1800

"Then I attack your Swift Black Ninja with Zork!" Juno declared.

"That I can't allow," Sarius said. "I remove my Black Warrior Werewolf and Kaiku from my Cemetery to activate his effect. He is removed from the field until the end phase of this turn."

"If you really want to take more damage from my attack, that's fine by me!" Juno stated as the Swift Black Ninja vanished. "Zork attacks directly! Then I lay one card face down and end my turn."

Sarius: 700

Juno: 1800

"Not good at all," Draken muttered.

"I don't understand why Sarius would remove his Swift Black Ninja," Perseus said as the monster in question reappeared.

"You will probably be shown the reason this turn," Kazel stated, watching calmly.

"Let's hope so," Larka said, glancing at Julian. He was completely absorbed in the duel.

Sarius slid a magic card into his Duel Disk. "I have been wanting to use this card for a while, but never had the chance. This seems like the perfect opportunity though. It is called Chaos End!"

As he said the name of the card, darkness and light consumed the field. A huge explosion occurred as the two elements combined. When they cleared, the Swift Black Ninja and Zork were gone.

"I have to have seven of my cards removed from play to use it. My Twilight Zone Female Warrior, Twilight Zone Survivor, two White Ninjas, Saint Magician, Black Warrior Werewolf, and Kaiku were all removed. It destroys all monsters on the field, so although I lost my Swift Black Ninja, your Zork is gone. I find the price to be well worth it, and I must thank you for helping me be able to use it with your Wicked Barrier-Dark Force."

The only response Sarius received was a hate-filled glare.

The expression did not even faze him. "I summon Blade Knight. (2100/1500) Then I attack with him."

"I use Attack Nullification to negate your attack and end your battle phase," Juno growled. "Is that it?"

"No," Sarius answered. "I also play Release of the Soul! This allows me to remove five cards from either of our Cemeteries from the game. I remove your two Demon Soldiers, two Mad Dogs of Darkness, and Manju God. Then I activate a permanent trap card, Wrath From Beyond the Grave! You'll see what this does on my next turn. Go ahead."

Juno looked at the card he drew and immediately activated it. "I activate another Continue the Contract for Zork. He attacks!"

Sarius: 100

Juno: 1000

"This will be the deciding play," Zack stated. "It all comes down to Sarius' move."

Julian was more concerned with how vicious Juno's appearance was. His eyes were flashing angrily, his hands clenched in tight fists of fury. Without thinking, his tight grip on Larka's arm began to loosen.

Sarius glanced at his card and smiled. "That's game. On my standby phase, Wrath From Beyond the Grave activates! It does 100 damage for each of your monsters that was removed from play. I believe you have seven, including the Zork and Cyber Pod that I removed?"

Juno's fiery eyes told him that he was right.

"So you lose 700 Life Points in all," Sarius stated.

Sarius: 100

Juno: 300

"Then I move Raid from my Deck Master position onto the field!" Sarius declared. Raid went onto the field and let out an ear-shattering roar. (3000/2500) "He attacks Zork, finishing the duel!"

The detonation from Chaos End had been large, but Raid's attack was beyond that. He shot out a stream of light and darkness, tearing through Zork. The resulting explosion caused everyone to shut their eyes, and in most cases, cover their ears. All of their senses were temporarily gone as the blast went everywhere.

Then it finally cleared. They dared to look up, and saw that the Zork was long gone. All that remained was Raid, who snarled viciously at Juno.

Sarius: 100

Juno: 0

Juno stepped back towards the trees, glaring once more at Sarius. "For this world, it is over, Tirran. You can't win forever though. I will beat you; this you know as well as I do!" Then he went into the forest. All they could hear was his footsteps for a moment, and then they too were gone.

Sarius sighed tiredly. "I am glad that is over with."

"As am I," Aya said, coming to his side.

Rue sat down hard. "Whew! Just seeing that power is making it hard for me to stand!"

"For once, I agree with you," Draken stated, looking as though he wanted to fall too.

Larka's voice cut through their conversation. "He's gone!"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Neo asked.

Larka gestured next to her side helplessly. "Julian. I kept him close to me to try and keep him from panicking from all of this, but he must have fled when Sarius brought out Raid."

"I don't blame him," Hope said sadly.

"Yeah. It must have been a lot for the poor kid to handle," Miles commented. "Should we try to find him?"

"That would be helpful. I still need to be able to obtain his Limiter powers," Sarius stated dryly.

But before anyone could begin to search, a group of about fifteen people they recognized to be officials suddenly came out of the forest.

"Um… hi?" Rue said.

One of the men, with gray hair and brown eyes, glared at Kazel. "So you are the ones who were flying after all!"

"Well, some of us did," Larka replied. "Is that a problem?"

"Is that a problem? Is that a problem? Of course it's a problem!" the official exclaimed. "One of the number one rules applied to Soul Monsters that can fly is that they are only allowed to go to a certain height in the sky! Otherwise you run the risk of running into airplanes, helicopters, and more!"

"Oops," Draken said sheepishly. "I've heard that rule before, but it slipped my mind…"

Kazel glanced away guiltily. "No, the fault is mine. It was my idea to fly to Fell and Larka. I completely forgot that was banned. I am sorry."

"Sorry? Is that all you have to say?" the official said in disbelief.

"Enough," another one ordered as he stepped forward, this one with black hair and hazel eyes. "They know better now, and will not do it again… right?" He gestured to the group, waiting for them to agree.

"Yeah, of course!" Draken said quickly.

"As long as there are no more incidents of it occurring, we will let this one slide." The official glanced at the mansion. "On a lighter note, are you aware that this is private property?"

"D'oh," Miles muttered, slapping himself over the head.

"We were not aware," Zack said.

"Well, it is. Therefore, we must escort you off it at once," the official told them.

"All right, we'll come, we'll come," Rue said, scrambling up. Sarius seemed irritated at this delay, but did not argue as they were lead away from the clearing.

"It's nice to see an official that doesn't want to arrest us instantly," Gaston commented as they went through the forest.

The man smiled at the comment. "Our new leader is much more understanding to such matters. In fact, she will probably wish to talk to you herself when she gets everything straightened out."

"She?" Gen asked. "Your new leader is a female?"

"Yes. She'll introduce herself in good time," the man assured as they stepped out of the forest, emerging near the condo. "This is where I will leave you. But I am sure we will meet again soon."

"Possibly," Hope agreed. "What is your name?"

"Helmer. I'm second in command to the officials," he replied. "So like I said, you'll probably see me when you meet our leader. Until then…" The officials walked away, the one with gray hair still muttering complaints. A blunt whack over the head from Helmer shut him up.

…

Julian stayed behind the tree he had run to even after he was sure everyone was gone. He knew he would not be able to walk very well, so he remained in his position, shaking.

He could hardly believe what had happened. Until this point, nothing of interest had ever occurred. He had known exactly two people, and never met anyone else. Now he had met what he considered too many people. He was also sure that they would return for him.

Julian looked down at the card he still held. The Holy Shine Soul still reminded him of Light. Despite all that had happened, he was glad to have met her. He had also liked Larka, and a few other members in the group that had arrived. If the whole situation hadn't been so confusing, Julian thought that he might have enjoyed talking to them.

But it was too dangerous to make any more contact with them. In fact, it was probably more hazardous to stay in this location. So he reluctantly got up and headed back towards the mansion. Knowing the lonely life that lay in it, he wondered if he really would prefer the safety it provided when compared to the duel he had just witnessed. At least in the heart of danger, he had had other people that seemed to care for him.

To be continued…


	25. Fell’s Night of Misfortune

Surprise! It's another chapter! Thanks to Columbus Day, I finished this today as well! I hope you enjoy the last chapter of this arc!

As a disclaimer, two weird things happen in here. No, I was not high when I wrote this. THEY REALLY HAPPENED TO ME. I KID YOU NOT, THEY DID. If you want more details, feel free to request via review. I won't answer until chapter two of the new arc though.

**Chapter 25: Fell's Night of Misfortune**

"Well, that could have gone a lot worse than it did," Perseus commented as they sat down outside the condo. They would have normally gone inside, but they wanted Tenma, Kazel, and Raid to be able to hear their conversation also. Bringing those three into the condo would have been impossible.

"It could have also been better," Draken pointed out. "Now we have next to no chance of going back to the mansion."

"Even if we went back there, it could be difficult to find Julian," Larka said. "Daine and Malon might have some luck, but there's no way of knowing."

"What will you do about this?" Will asked Sarius.

Sarius thought for a moment, and then said, "I will try to find the boy again. But not yet. A few days will probably be a good amount of time to wait." He glanced at them pointedly. "I will be going with Aya only."

"But Julian is probably frightened from all this," Larka said worriedly.

"It will be all right. I'll try to talk to him before Lord Tirran does," Aya assured.

Hope looked over at Sarius and Aya. "There is something I have wanted to know for a while. What is your relation to Sarius? How do Adene, Mach, and Shadow connect with him? What about the Mavericks with Juno?"

"…Hm. I suppose a bit of information could not hurt," Sarius said. "I don't know how Juno selected his Mavericks, but they were originally human. He put parts of his own self into them to make them far more powerful than most humans. As for my group…" Sarius smiled slightly. "I won't tell you how I came across them, but they do have certain connections to me. Aya is my wife. Adene is my adopted son. Mach and Shadow are two of my most trusted soldiers. I picked them up from the same world. Adene came from a different one, and Aya… I won't be getting into that."

"What about Lario?" Zack inquired.

"I also picked him up from a certain world I visited. He trained under me, but had a different view than me. He believes that through creating perfect virtue in all worlds, a reality of light such as heaven itself would be possible through God's power." Sarius shook his head. "I do not think such a world will ever come into being, unless it was by the hand of God himself. Due to our conflicting beliefs, we separated. However, we are still friends, and work together at times. He is more with me than Juno, as you all know."

"Talk about complicated," Rue groaned.

Sarius lifted an eyebrow. "All you have learned about us is barely scratching the surface. Do you see why I do not go into depth?"

"Just who is the Child?" Hope asked.

"And what happened to him?" Claire questioned.

"…I'll tell you a little bit about this, but not too much, to keep things simple," Sarius said. "The Child is part of me. He is not the only part that I have, but he is a very important one. Due to his nature, I usually keep him out of my body, but close to me." He laughed to himself. "He is easily the best option among all my choices."

"So you… reabsorbed him?" Will inferred.

Sarius nodded. "Correct. I needed a power boost against Juno, so the Child provided it."

"Does he have a name?" Larka inquired, thinking to what Sarius had said when his wings had emerged.

"That is considered going into things too deeply," Sarius told her.

"All right, sorry," Larka said, letting the issue drop.

"Still, you had wings! Real wings! Are you an angel of some kind?" Rue asked.

Sarius closed his eyes and smiled. "Sore wa himitsu desu."

Rue cocked his head. "Huh?"

"Let me guess; that means screw off in Dutch," Neo joked.

Will promptly hit him over the head with his book, and gave Sarius a sour look. "It means 'that is a secret.'"

"Oh," Neo muttered, rubbing his head while wincing.

"I think that is quite enough about us," Sarius said. "You should be more concerned about the god cards."

"You're right," Hope replied, giving Will's Duel Disk a longing glance.

"Apparently, all of the god cards are unsealed," Daine said. "However, nothing has happened."

"Perhaps they all must be together," Kisara suggested softly.

"That might do it," Draken agreed.

"Which world should we try this in though?" Perseus asked. "Real life or Teknisk Wereld?"

"Teknisk Wereld," Max said. "It just seems more likely to work there."

"Fair enough to assume," Gen replied. "Should we try it today or tomorrow, after we have had the chance to rest?"

Rue scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Actually… Osiris is back at home."

"You hid it in real life?" Will assumed.

"Yeah. It seemed safer that way. What about you, Max?" Rue asked.

"I entrusted the location to Mana… and Brandi through her," Max stated, trying not to think of Mana. "Once I find out where Obelisk is, it should be easy enough to get."

"Will, of course, already has Ra, so I guess we'll be set after Rue goes home," Darche said.

"If you would not mind, I would like to witness what happens when the god cards are brought together," Sarius requested.

Larka nodded. "Sure, you can come. I don't think anyone would object to it, anyway."

"Nope," Rue agreed. "That means I'd better get a ticket back home."

"Me too," Claire said.

"Oh!" Hope exclaimed. "I nearly forgot that the ticket dad got me to go back to Illinois is dated for tonight!"

"That means we will also have to find a way to afford our own so we can go with you," Larka told Hope. "We can't try to fly Kazel again."

"Kisara and I should head off too," Draken said. "So it looks like Miles and Zack will be the only ones not going home yet."

"Actually, I want to head back to my apartment," Miles stated. "Now is as good a time as any."

"Then I am the only one who does not have to worry about traveling," Zack commented. "If you do not mind keeping me in your house for a while, Will."

"Not at all," Will assured. "This means that we will need to decide on a meeting location in Teknisk Wereld."

"Same time and same place as always?" Rue suggested.

"Sure. That would mean we're meeting at the lake at nine in the morning," Miles told Sarius.

"That is fine." Sarius glanced over at Fell. "I will travel with Hope, Fell, and Larka, if they do not mind. I have business to attend to in that area when all is said and done."

"What about you, Aya?" Hope asked.

"I will go back to Teknisk Wereld to remain with Adene, Mach, and Shadow. That way, Shadow will not be able to kill anyone," Aya smirked.

"Then it's settled. We'd better split up to get ready to go," Claire said.

"How about we meet at the bus stop and accompany you to the airport? That way, we can cover any details we might have forgotten in the bus," Will advised.

"You want to come to the airport?" Draken asked in surprise.

"Sure, why not? Call it a sending off," Will shrugged. "I assume Max and Zack will come to say farewells in real life, so I don't see why I shouldn't."

"All right. Let's all be at the bus station at seven," Hope said.

"Sounds like a plan," Miles replied as they got up. Then they headed their separate ways.

…

"And once again, we are left waiting for Hope," Miles observed as they stood on the sidewalk, waiting for the bus. It was nearly seven, and once it reached that time, the bus could take anywhere from one to fifteen minutes to arrive.

Then they turned as they heard footsteps. Hope came running up to them, Max following. Like everyone else, they had stored away their Soul Monsters for the bus. Malon was the only one still out, and Larka was hoping whoever the bus driver was would not make a fuss about him.

"Sorry we're late!" Hope gasped out as they stopped by the rest of the group. "I couldn't find my book because the table it was on had been knocked over. It took a while to come across it."

"How did the table get knocked over?" Rue asked.

Luckily, Hope did not have to think up an excuse for that one. At that moment, the bus drove up to the curb.

"All right! The bus didn't take fifteen minutes to arrive!" Draken said triumphantly.

"That's good," Claire stated as it halted in front of them.

The door opened, revealing the bus driver at the top of the stairs. He had on the standard blue uniform, with a badge that had the letters CTA stitched onto the right arm of the shirt. He had short black hair, dark brown eyes, and a large grin. His gold nametag said, "Geno."

"Welcome to the happy bus!" he said in a cheerful voice.

After a long silence, Rue summed up what everyone was thinking with one word. "…What."

"Come along, step onboard the happy bus!" Geno urged, waving his hand.

"I don't think so," Max said, retreating a few paces.

Hope grabbed his arm before he could go too far, and whispered, "This is our only choice. If we wait for another bus, we won't make it to our flight in time."

"Are you sure there isn't another option?" Zack asked as he eyed the bus warily.

"Unfortunately, there isn't," Claire sighed.

"Then let's walk, or something," Max said. "Anything besides this."

Fell seemed to be in full agreement with Max. He tried to slide away silently, but Larka was far too used to his antics. She imitated Hope by grabbing his arm. "We don't have any time to waste! Let's just get on there before we're late!" Then she dragged Fell onboard, Malon following her with excited yips.

Hope looked pointedly at Max. "Do you need that to be done to you or will you walk up the stairs?"

"Walking seems easier," Max muttered, slowly going into it. Hope went behind him, leaving the others to decide what order they would come on.

As she came on and paid for her own ticket on the bus, she happened to see a small white board propped up against the driver seat. It said, in green marker, "Welcome to the happy bus!" On the windshield, she also noticed a large, yellow smiley face sticker that glittered in the light.

At the moment, Larka was saying to Geno, "My Soul Monster doesn't like being in his Soul Card. Is it all right if he remains here?"

"Sure, that's fine!" Geno smiled. "He is certainly in the right mood for being on the happy bus!"

Malon jumped around, barking excitedly. Fell just sat down in a chair, a hand to his forehead.

Everyone else went on quickly. Then the doors closed and they were off.

"In all of the worlds I have visited, I have never witnessed anything like this," Sarius commented, looking as though he didn't know what to think of it.

Max just sat in his seat, his eyes locked on the ground so he wouldn't have to look around the bus.

Fell was glancing at a partly-opened window, as though he was trying to figure out if it was big enough to jump through. Seeing what he was doing, Larka picked up Malon and put him on Fell's lap. "Don't even think about it, Fell. If you try anything suicidal, I'll order Malon to bite you."

A growl from Malon confirmed her words. Fell looked down at the puppy, and then gave a half-hearted sigh.

"Cheer up Fell! This is the happy bus! So shouldn't you be, you know, happy?" Miles teased.

"Leave me alone," Fell muttered as he closed his eyes.

"Like always, he's no fun," Rue said. "Well, his loss."

"You are acting as though you are enjoying this," Zack commented.

"You aren't?" Draken retorted.

"…I am neutral to this whole ordeal," Zack said.

"Come on, live a little!" Miles encouraged. "Enjoy your time on the happy bus, since it gives us an excuse to be… you guessed it, happy!"

"I would prefer not to," Will said dryly, opening his book to read.

"It looks like only the three of us can see that this is the most awesome bus ever," Draken commented.

"No kidding," Rue agreed, looking as though he had highly taken to the bus despite his early misgivings.

"Heck, we probably won't have any time to be happy tomorrow, so why not now?" Miles said.

"That's the spirit!" Geno called back. "How about a quiz question?"

"How about no," Claire muttered. Kisara had buried her head into her knees.

Geno had not heard Claire though. "What goes around the world and makes everyone who gets it happy?"

"No idea. Riddles aren't my thing," Rue said.

"Rue, what animals did not go on Moses' ark?" Hope asked.

"Humans?" Rue guessed.

"None, Moses didn't have an ark," Hope answered.

"See! I suck at them!" Rue said woefully.

Miles couldn't help but laugh. "Even I could have gotten that one!"

"So, does anyone know the answer?" Geno asked.

"Um… a postage stamp?" Larka guessed.

"You're correct!" Geno announced.

"How did you know that?" Draken asked, looking a bit bewildered.

"When I was playing around with the remote control at Hope's, trying to figure out how it worked, I saw that question asked," Larka explained. "I think it was some show called… Sea Lion Street?"

Miles had just gotten over Rue's missed riddle, but this got him to laugh even more. "You mean Sesame Street! You actually watched that?"

"No, I just saw it for a few moments," Larka answered. "Why, is it a bad show?"

"Nothing you need to worry about," Hope assured.

"Of course, you get a prize. Name a color!" Geno said.

"Um… I don't know…" Larka murmured.

"Say red," Miles encouraged.

"Ok, red," Larka shrugged.

Geno tossed her a red balloon that was not inflated yet. "Enjoy!"

"Thanks," Larka answered. Then she leaned over to Hope and whispered, "What is this thing?"

Hope laughed softly. "I'll explain later."

By this time, they had arrived at another bus stop. They continued to go on, halting occasionally for more passengers. Every time someone got on, Geno would say, "Welcome to the happy bus!" The new arrivals would laugh, seem dumbfounded, or look as though they wanted to get off and wait for another bus. Nevertheless, they would board too.

Every time a child boarded, Geno would also give them a balloon for free. The children seemed to like this, but their parents prevented them from inflating them on the spot.

As they arrived at even more stops, the bus became very crowded. By the time they finally reached the airport, all of the chairs and the aisle had been completely filled. There would not have been enough room for even three more people.

"Last stop for the happy bus!" Geno called as he opened the doors. A mass stampede occurred from everyone hoping to get off as quickly as possible. The group was able to go out of the second door near the back. As they left, Miles shouted to Geno, "Thanks! Your bus rules!"

"Thank you for being such happy customers!" Geno replied as the last people left. Then he shut the doors and drove off.

Fell looked very relieved, as did Max, while Rue, Miles, and Draken seemed disappointed. "And there goes the coolest bus ever," Draken commented as they watched it vanish around the corner.

"Can we please just get to the airport?" Claire groaned.

…

When they arrived at the airport, Zack halted before the metal detectors. "I can't go any farther than this, so farewell until tomorrow."

"See you then," Larka replied, going up to him and embracing him briefly.

"I'm glad I'm not in love with anyone," Rue muttered.

"Same here," Miles said. "Too bad Draken can't agree."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Draken demanded as Kisara blushed slightly.

Max was still concerned about how Hope had been acting. "Stay safe."

"Thanks," Hope smiled. "I'll be fine."

"I'm sure," Max replied, smiling back.

"Goodbye for the time being," Will said.

"Don't worry, I'll pray for your kitchen," Rue assured.

"Neo is the one who needs them," Will stated as he turned around and walked away. Max and Zack followed him.

The passage through the airport was uneventful, except for the fact that Rue was randomly chosen as a victim of a complete body search for weapons. It took nearly twenty minutes, and Rue was still muttering curses at the woman who had decided it should be done to him. "Using me as an example just because my hat looks weird? That stupid little…"

Before Rue could continue, Claire said, "We're here!"

They had arrived at the gate Hope, Fell, Larka, and Sarius were supposed to remain in. After a few quick goodbyes all around, the four of them sat down in chairs. Malon had been forced to be in his Soul Card for the flight, as usual, which relieved Larka for the moment.

Hope glanced around the area. "We're flying on an airline that I've never taken before. It'll apparently be easier for mom to pick us up if we use this one, since we'd land closer to home."

"What is the name of the one you usually take?" Larka asked.

"It's called Delta Airlines. Overall, it's pretty good," Hope said.

It was about that time that a voice over the intercom announced that it was time to board the airplane. They went on when their seat numbers were called.

Fortunately, their seats were all close together. Fell got the window seat, Larka was in the middle, and Hope next to the aisle. Sarius sat right across from her, with two empty seats beside him. It looked as though this flight had not been completely filled.

When everyone else was on, the plane took off. Fell and Larka were well aware of the noise by this point, so they had covered their ears in advance. Hope distracted herself by reading a new book she had gotten recently called Vampire Hunter D.

As they were just going into the air, two woman appeared. They were both young teens or in their very early twenties, and wore a tight-fitting white shirt with orange shorts that showed just why they were called shorts.

"Welcome to Hooter's Airlines!" one of the girls said energetically into a microphone, which echoed loudly through the plane. "I'm Bessie and my companion is Jessie! We'll be your Hooter Girls for the day!"

Fell looked at the window longingly.

"Again, no," Larka said to him. "We'll just have to hope that they will be quiet soon."

"We've decided to start you all off with a quiz game! If you get a question right, you win a small prize!" Jessie beamed as though this was the greatest thing in the world. "If you paid attention to your Hooter Airline brochures, you should know the answers to this! First question: how old am I, and how old is Bessie?"

Sarius gave the two flight attendants a rather exasperated look while Hope sighed. "At least the happy bus was amusing. This is just stupid."

A young, stupid-looking man near the front, who was obviously smitten with the two upon first sight, said, "Um… you're nineteen while she's twenty?"

"Almost!" Jessie grinned. "We'll give it to you anyway. I'm twenty while Bessie is nineteen. Next question: how long has the tradition of Hooter Girls gone on?"

"The answer is: we don't care," Hope grumbled, trying to concentrate on her book. The microphones were making it hard for her though.

They went through many more of the completely pointless questions while Hope failed to be able to get any farther in her book. Larka was holding her hands over her ears while Fell growled softly. Sarius had closed his eyes, probably in an attempt to fall asleep so that he wouldn't have to hear the idiocy of the Hooter Girls.

Finally, the two moronic Hooter Girls stopped the line of questions and gave everyone in the airplane a paper napkin. They returned to the front, where Bessie said, "Now we have a bonus activity! You must try to fold your napkin, or tear it, into as close of a shape to the Hooter Owl as you can! No drawing on it though! Ready? Go!"

Hope stuffed her napkin into the pocket in her seat without even paying attention. Larka did the same. Sarius merely put his into another seat before shutting his eyes again.

Fell, seeming highly annoyed by all this, decided to take out his anger on the innocent napkin. He tore it apart, throwing the pieces into the aisle.

"Now, all those who attempted, please raise your Hooter Owl into the air!" Jessie sang out.

About ten bent napkins emerged. They split up and went looking at them, complementing some and criticizing others.

As Bessie came near their row, she stopped suddenly, looking at the floor. "Oh my!" she exclaimed, picking up one of the pieces from the napkin Fell had torn up. She held it up, and everyone who actually cared enough to pay attention gasped at the exact Hooter Owl shape.

"Who did this?" she asked, looking around the plane.

A guy from the row behind them pointed at Fell. "He did!"

"Congratulations! You're the winner!" Jessie said, running over to them. "Please come with us."

Fell shook his head, giving them glares that would have melted solid ice.

The two oblivious Hooter Girls did not seem to notice. Bessie unbuckled his seat belt and pulled him out of his chair, to the front. Fell looked as though he was debating whether to scratch, bite, or just beat Bessie and Jessie to death.

"As our lucky winner, you get this free t-shirt!" Bessie said, handing him a white t-shirt that said, in orange letters, 'I Love Hooter Girls' with a Hooter Owl on the front and a small heart near the 'Love'. "We'd offer phone numbers, but we don't live in Illinois. So, why don't you put that shirt on now?"

Fell just stared at them. Then he walked towards the cabin.

"Hey! You can't go in there!" Jessie protested as they followed him out of sight. "What are you trying to… EEEEEEKKK!"

Everyone in the airplane froze as they heard the two Hooter Girls begin screaming bloody murder, which almost completely drowned out the snarls and sounds of blows raining down on them. After a few minutes, Fell calmly walked out, tossing the shredded t-shirt at the man near the front who had liked them.

That man yelled, "You monster!" before running to see what condition the two Hooter Girls were in. Two other men followed him.

When they were gone, silence filled the plane. Then a man near the front broke it by shouting, "ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED? ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!"

At those words, everyone else in the plane broke into loud applause, showing that they had thought the Hooter Girls were beyond stupid as well. Fell blinked, and then darted back to his seat, his face slightly red.

"Fell, you're my new hero," Hope said as she turned back to her book, finally able to read.

Sarius smiled slightly, his eyes still closed, while Larka seemed torn between scolding Fell for attacking Bessie and Jessie or complimenting him. The latter finally won out. "Well… I guess it was all right this time."

Fell simply buried his head in his arms, which rested on his tray table.

At long last, the airplane arrived at the airport. As they left the plane, they noticed Bessie and Jessie at the front. Their faces were swollen with a mass of bruises and scars from Fell's claws. Seeing Fell, they fled in terror to the cabin, calling, "Thank you for flying on Hooters Airlines!" The three men who had helped them before followed while everyone else left.

There were two more Hooter Girls outside of the airplane in the same skimpy clothing, offering stickers to kids that said, 'You can be like us when you grow up! Eat at Hooters today!' Apparently, however, word of what Fell had done had reached them. They scattered when he came out, leaving the pathway completely open. Fell walked by without even glancing at them, while Hope, Larka, and Sarius followed.

As they left, the man who had shouted about entertainment before ran up to them. "Please wait!"

They halted, and the man brought out a camera. "I'm a reporter for a local newspaper here. Can I please take a picture of you… um… hey, I don't even know your name."

"He's Fell," Larka said, grabbing his arm again before he could take off. "Go ahead."

Fell sighed and stayed where he was as the man took an individual shot of Fell, one with Larka keeping a tight hold on his arm, and one where Hope was next to Larka, holding up her book. Sarius had mysteriously vanished and was not present during any of them.

By that time, Mrs. Gales had found them. She politely thanked the reporter and said they would be sure to check the newspaper before she had the three of them follow her.

"Thanks for coming," Hope said.

"I'm glad to see you again," Mrs. Gales replied. "So it's still just Fell and Larka?"

"Actually, I was hoping to be allowed to stay for the time being as well," Sarius said, coming up to them.

"There you are," Hope said in relief. "Mom, this is Sarius. He's a friend of mine too, and only wants to stay for one night."

"All right, but just one," Mrs. Gales told him before exiting the doors.

"She's gotten a bit more flexible," Hope smiled.

"So where were you?" Larka asked Sarius.

"Hiding. I dislike photos," Sarius stated.

Fell gave him an envious look but did not comment.

…

When they got to Hope's house, they went straight to bed, except for Sarius. He went outside, to the roof.

Fell was there, looking up at the sky. Daine lifted his head, but when he saw it was Sarius, he laid it down again.

"Is there something you want?" Fell asked, sitting up.

"I simply wished to know if you had thought over my proposition," Sarius stated. "I will be leaving this world soon. This is your chance to come, if you wish to."

"It is still an option?" Fell inquired.

"Yes," Sarius said.

"…Then I accept," Fell answered.

Sarius nodded. "Very well. What about your sister? Will she be coming too?"

"No," Fell stated. "I will tell her of where I am going tomorrow."

"All right. We will not be leaving immediately; I need to find the second Limiter still," Sarius said. "Be ready to depart shortly though."

"…I have nothing to bring with me, except for my equipment, my deck, and Daine," Fell stated.

"Excellent, it will make traveling easier," Sarius replied. "That is all I wanted to know. Have a good night." Then he went down from the roof, leaving Fell to his thoughts.

…

_She was in front of the painting once more, staring into Obelisk's red eyes, Osiris' yellow ones, and Ra's red ones. They looked as though they were at long last awake, all three of them._

_Satan appeared to be slumbering, yet by how tense his body seemed, it was as though he would wake up any moment. The figure on the right was gone. The one at the left was almost visible from the shadows though. Something produced from its head, and its back… and now another object had emerged from its lower back… and the dark blue gem on its forehead gleamed…_

_Then, she heard Satan._

_"It is time. You shall awaken me… my most loyal servant… and then you shall become…"_

"NO!" Hope exclaimed, her eyes flying open.

For a moment, she was about to panic, seeing her vision was blurred. Then she realized it was tears that clouded her eyes. She sat up slowly, wiping them on her sheet.

"Hope? Did you have another nightmare?" Gaston asked softly. Somehow, Larka and Malon had slept through Hope's outburst.

Hope nodded slowly. "Gaston… I… I'm not who you think I am…"

"What are you talking about?" Gaston put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "All you had was a dream, a bad dream. Don't worry; nothing will happen to you. Now go back to sleep. You need to be ready for tomorrow."

"Yeah… thanks…" Hope smiled shakily, and then lay down and closed her eyes.

However, her doubts remained, even as she fell back into a troubled, yet dreamless, sleep.

**_THE END_**


	26. Author's Note and Credits

**Author's Note and Credits**

All right! Teknisk Wereld v4 is finally complete! But like before, I could not have finished this without much help! And here is where I award credit to where it is due!

Katal Blader: For Rue, Ruecian, Claire, Perseus, and their decks.

CyberTigerAngel: For Will, Neo, and Will's deck. And for his Redwall knowledge.

HikotageNoInyou: Oh boy… here we go. He has done Sarius, Raid, the Child, Cyrus, Juno, and Zork. In addition, he is responsible for Aya, Adene, Mach, Shadow, Lario, and all of the Mavericks, along with their Soul Monsters. I give him full credit for their amazing pasts. Much of the basic plot for this arc was made by his ideas. He also proof-read all of this. Thanks for pointing out my mistakes!

DarkChiWizard22: Geez, he's done a lot. Max, Olympion, Brandi, Mana, Randall, GaBa, Matt, Masque, Abby, Chasity, Ender, Thanatos, Vlad, Grendel, their decks (except Vlad's, since he didn't really have much of one), their past, and some other ideas for this story that are too numerous to mention are all done by him. He is responsible for the Maverick decks; I did Sarius' lot, for the curious. He also pointed out several errors in duels (along with a few in grammar), and helped me understand card effects I didn't get. Oh, and now that I think about it, he's the one who made me write this. He said he didn't think I could write serious fics. Look who proved you wrong! -Is shot-

Amy: For some reason, I kept forgetting to put her in the credits! Amy is my half-sister who lives in Florida. She really does have the same dad as me. Sam and Toby do indeed exist. She used to want to be an astronaut but hates flying. So she's now into politics. Yes, she did sleepwalk. Yay for Amy!

Julia, Samuel, Toan, and Josh: For being great friends! Oh, and for your love of cows Toan.

Caleb, ifrit, and Buster Blader: Thanks for doing really lame things in duels for me to comment on!

Epyon: He gets a separate category because I used many of our inside jokes that were originally made by him. ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED WITH THIS CREDIT? ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED! Keep on reading though. Sephiroth may show up if you do!

Geno: Yes, Geno's a real guy, and he runs the happy bus in Chicago. I met him on a Spanish field trip. He's quite the character! Go Geno!

Hooters Airlines: I give them full credit for their stupidity. Fell's reaction was essentially what I wanted to do when they made it impossible for me to read Vampire Hunter D. A curse upon you Hooters! Bessie and Jessie were not the two Hooter Girls name's, but their models were just as dumb as them. Unfortunately, I made up the reporter.

David Clement: This guy wrote a book called The Sight that had two wolves called Fell and Larka, who were brother and sister. Those names were some of my favorites, so I named my two characters after them. I offer thanks for his awesome work! (He also wrote Fire Bringer, which is another good book.)

Whoever created Xenosaga: I based Zack's design off a character from here. (The character was Ziggy, in case you ever play it or something) So thanks to whoever created him, because his design rocks! I also stole Helmer's name off it. How is this important? You'll see, next arc.

Edo's: His website has every translation I have used, and I am extremely grateful he made it!

Free Translations: For many of the names.

Whoever the heck created Yu-Gi-Oh: Obvious!

Brian Jacques, Christopher Paolini, Brad Stroker, R.A. Salvatore, and Hideyuki Kikuchi: For writing the Redwall series, Eragon, Dracula, the Icewind Dale series, and Vampire Hunter D!

Video Game Designers: For making the video games I mentioned.

Odinbalz: For hosting Triple Triad Advance. That game owns.

All of my reviewers, here and on the Yu-Gi-Oh Social Board: Thanks for the positive remarks, and reading this whole thing! You guys and girls rule!

A few names I would like to mention: John, Habba, Captain Obvious, Demon Fan, Erestor Telemnar, Moonjava, and P! Thank you all for reviewing this story! 96 reviews is something to be proud of, and I am honored you all found my story that interesting!

And, last and least, Nokia: For creating the N-Gage for me to bash on! (Although I didn't get the chance to in this story…)

We're almost done… or so it seems. All of the god cards are collected; it's up to our heroes to handle them properly. What will they do with these deadly pieces of cardboard?

That will be coming up in the next arc, which should be up tomorrow, Tuesday.

-Puts up sign that says The End on it-

Kuribo: -Continues floating after Demon Rue-

Demon Rue: IT ISN'T FAIR I TELL YOU! IT JUST ISN'T FAIR!

…Ok, that's it folks!


End file.
